Florida governor signs bill to ban kids under 14 from social media

Florida Governor Ron Desantis has signed a bill banning kids under 14 from creating a social media account, and forces platforms to delete them if they exist.

Children’s safety on social media has been a huge concern over the last few years, with states talking about requiring stronger age verification and parental control. Florida Governor Ron Desantis is making it happen, having signed a bill on March 25, 2024, that effectively bans kids 15 years old and younger from social media.

It states children that are 14 and 15 years of age must have parental consent in order to create an account on websites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The law also says that platforms must terminate these accounts should the teen or their parents request it to be removed from the site. If they don’t, companies can be sued on the kid’s behalf and may be liable for up to $10,000 in damages each.

“A social media platform shall prohibit a minor who is 14 or 15 years of age from entering into a contract with a social media platform to become an account holder, unless the minor’s parent or guardian provides consent for the minor to become an account holder,” it reads.

For kids under the age of 14, the law requires the likes of Twitter and Meta to delete the account and create protections that prevent them from being created again until they are older.

Nearly all social media platforms, including Twitter, Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, and TikTok have a minimum age requirement of 13 years or older. Now that this bill has been signed, Kids in Florida will have to wait until they’re 14 years old to join social media with parental consent — or 16 without.

This comes just weeks after the US House of Representatives passed a bill to force TikTok parent company ByteDance to sell the company or face a ban in the United States.

This new Florida law will take effect starting on January 1, 2025.