Florida Passes Law Banning Social Media for Minors Under 14

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Monday that prohibits people under 14 years old from having social-media accounts, regardless of parental consent, one of the most restrictive laws aimed at curbing social-media access for minors.

Under the new law, social-media companies are required to close accounts believed to be used by minors under 14. The platforms must also cancel accounts at the request of parents or minors, and all information from the accounts must be deleted.

The law is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

Minors who are 14- or 15-years old can obtain a social-media account with parental consent, according to the new law. Accounts already belonging to teens of that age must be deleted if a parent or guardian hasn’t consented.

“Being buried in those devices all day is not the best way to grow up—it’s not the best way to get a good education,” DeSantis, a Republican, said at an event commemorating the bill signing on Monday.

The law doesn’t name specific platforms, but targets social-media sites that rely on features such as notification alerts and autoplay videos that encourage compulsive viewing.

Supporters of the law have pointed to recent studies linking social media use among young adults to a higher risk of depression and mental-health challenges. It can also make them vulnerable to online bullying and predators.

A representative for Snap SNAP -1.23%decrease; red down pointing triangle
declined to comment. A representative for Meta Platforms META -1.29%decrease; red down pointing triangle
didn’t immediately comment. Representatives for X and TikTok didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

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