Florida lawmakers vote 106 to 13 in favor of BANNING children under 16 from using social media – so is the sunshine state becoming a safe haven for kids or too Orwellian?

Florida could become the first US state to ban minors from using social media.

Lawmakers advanced the bill to the Senate on Wednesday after an overwhelming majority in the state House passed it by a vote of 106 to 13.

If enforced, companies like Meta and TikTok would have to permanently remove minor Floridians’ accounts from the platform and prevent future minors from creating accounts regardless of parental approval.

If the social media platform violates the bill’s requirements, they could be required to pay plaintiffs up to $10,000 in damages, as well as court costs and reasonable attorney fees.

Ron DeSantis has claimed he made child safety central to his governorship by banning books from schools he deemed pornographic, imposing the death penalty on pedophiles and signing a package banning gender surgery and drugs for minors.

However, there is a lot of criticism of the measures.

The new bill accuses social media platforms of potentially harming the mental health of minors and states that companies specifically design features that have addictive properties.

Julia Friedland, deputy press secretary for Governor Ron DeSantis, told DailyMail.com that House Bill 1 (HB1) is “still subject to the legislative process.”

“Governor DeSantis will review the legislation once it is in final form and delivered to our office,” she continued.

“I would say this is something that will probably evolve as it makes its way through the House of Representatives and works its way through the Senate,” DeSantis said at a news conference Friday.

“And we’ll see if we get a product that will be any good. What matters to me is the width of it. I want to empower parents.

‘I want to give parents tools to do this. And so I think you have to be smart in the way you do it.”

As the bill floats through the government’s hands, lawmakers have yet to clarify how the measures will be enforced if written into law — only that platforms will be held liable if they fail to comply with the requirements set out in the legislation.

The timetable for when the Senate will vote on the bill is still unknown.

A spokesperson for Meta told Dailymail.com: “As we continue to work with Florida lawmakers to develop solutions that empower parents and support teens, it is critical that HB1 provides clear, consistent rules so that all services to the meet parental expectations.’

Several studies have shown that social media can have a negative effect on children.

One particular study released this month found that social media is reprogramming children’s brains and creating a generation of thin-skinned adults.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say the changes indicate that children addicted to social media grow up and become “hypersensitive” to feedback from others.

Lawsuits published in March 2023 allege that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was warned internally about the harmful effects of his platforms on children and teens, but decided to “turn a blind eye.”

Details of the Florida bill are vague, but it stated that social media platforms could collect data from users to manipulate the type of content viewers see, and that they could share users’ personal data with third parties.

Social media companies will be required to verify the age of the account holder each time a new account is created on the platform, and verification measures must be carried out by third parties not affiliated with the social media platform.

Both parents and minors can request account cancellation, and the law requires social media companies to delete minor accounts within 10 days if a parent requests it, and within five days if a minor requests it.

If the bill is passed by the US Senate and signed into law by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, it would take effect on July 1, 2024.

The bill does not make clear how the measures will be enforced or what verification requirements will be imposed.

The bill further requires social media companies to also provide referrals to local law enforcement resources based on the user’s zip code, and provide contact information for suicide prevention and domestic violence prevention services.

The platforms will also have to report harmful behavior, including bullying, harassment and threats of violence or self-harm.

“Teens move fluidly between online services, and youth online safety laws that subject different services to different standards in different states will subject teens to inconsistent protections online,” the Meta spokesperson said.

Meta urged the House of Representatives to reconsider the bill in a letter sent earlier this month, saying a state-imposed ban on social media would undermine parents’ right to allow their children to live. ​use online platforms.

“While our company recognizes the goals of House Bill 1, we believe that this bill, as currently drafted, not only fails to empower parents to make the decision about whether their teen has a platform for may use social media, but also fails to create a robust, industrial platform. broad standards that help parents and teens manage their online activities,” the letter said.

Social media platforms have been criticized in recent years for being addictive, promoting online harassment and affecting the mental health of minors.

“It’s like a digital fentanyl,” Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-FL) said of social media platforms in promoting the bill, according to ABC news.

“And even the most plugged-in parent or tuned-in teen has trouble closing the door on these addictive qualities,” she added.

Dailymail.com has reached out to McFarland, the Florida House of Representatives and TikTok for comment.