Federal oversight over laws passed by individual US states is back in the spotlight, after a federal judge ruled on a Florida social media ban.
A Florida social media ban for minors under 14 had been signed by Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, in March 2024.
But the Associated Press reported that US District Judge Mark Walker on Tuesday issued an order, blocking portions of the law from taking effect.
It comes after last week Texas lawmakers had failed in their bid to ban social platforms for youngsters under 18 years of age.
Judge ruling
According to the Associated Press, Florida’s social media ban was one of the most restrictive bans in the United States on social media use by children. The law would ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for their use by 14- and 15-year-olds.
In his order granting the preliminary injunction sought by the groups Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, Walker reportedly wrote that the law is “likely unconstitutional,” but acknowledged that parents and lawmakers have “sincere concerns” about social media’s effects on kids.
Judge Walker reportedly wrote that the prohibition on social media platforms from allowing certain age groups to have accounts “directly burdens those youths’ rights to engage in and access speech.”
While siding with the industry groups’ claims that the law limits free speech, the AP reported that Walker allowed a provision of the Florida law to go into effect requiring platforms to shut down accounts for children under 16, if their parent or guardian requests it.
Meanwhile also on Tuesday, a federal judge in Atlanta reportedly heard arguments from NetChoice seeking to block a 2024 Georgia law scheduled to take effect 1 July that would require age verification for social media accounts and require children younger than 16 to get parental permission for accounts.
A spokesperson for Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier defended the Florida law and has indicated that it will appeal the ruling to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Florida has previously issued contentious laws on social media platforms before, most notably in May 2021 when Republican Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed a state bill that targetted social networking firms and how they moderate online content – to effectively stop platforms from banning political candidates.
Australia ban
But the US was not first considering these bans.
Australia became the first nation in the world to ban social media accounts for anyone under 16 in November 2024.
The Australian government had announced the “world leading legislation” to tackle the use of social media by children and young teenagers, despite the vocal opposition from the likes of Elon Musk and others.
And now a number of US states are also exploring bans on social media for youngsters.
The Associated Press previously reported that in 2024 a federal judge had temporarily blocked Utah’s law, that would have required social media companies to check the ages of all users and place restrictions on accounts belonging to minors.
Meanwhile California, which has the largest population of any US state, will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent starting in 2027.
And New York state allows parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform’s algorithm, AP noted.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content
