Gov. DeSantis signs bill preventing kids under 14 from having social media accounts

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis says the legislation he signed on Monday protects children and upholds parental rights.

HB 3 prohibits kids under the age of 14 from becoming social media account holders. However, it allows 14-15-year-olds to become account holders with parental consent.

"Social media harms children in a variety of ways," said DeSantis. "HB 3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children. Thank you to Speaker Renner for delivering this landmark legislation."

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Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed an earlier version of the bill after raising questions about the bill’s constitutionality and whether it would infringe on parental rights.

The earlier bill easily passed in the House and Senate but after the governor's veto, the revised plan allowed parents to give consent to 14- and 15-year-olds and removed age-verification requirements.

House Speaker Paul Renner initially opposed allowing parental consent for children to have accounts, but described the revised plan as a "product of compromise."

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"The internet has become a dark alley for our children where predators target them and dangerous social media leads to higher rates of depression, self-harm, and even suicide," said Renner. "I am proud of the work of all our bill sponsors, Representatives Tyler Sirois, Fiona McFarland, Michele Rayner, Chase Tramont, and Toby Overdorf for delivering a legislative framework that prioritizes keeping our children safe. Thanks to Governor DeSantis’ signature, Florida leads the way in protecting children online as states across the country fight to address these dangers."

Florida's lawmakers say the bill also protects the ability of Floridians to remain anonymous online.

HB 3 requires pornographic or sexually explicit websites to use age verification to prevent minors from accessing sites that are inappropriate for children.

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