A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging Florida’s 2024 law restricting children’s access to certain social media platforms, ruling that the tech industry groups behind the legal action failed to show they had legal standing.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued the decision Monday, stating that the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, which represent tech giants like Google and Meta, did not provide enough factual evidence to demonstrate that their members would be impacted by the law. The groups now have until March 31 to file a revised complaint.
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The law prohibits children under 14 from creating social media accounts and requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds. It does not name specific platforms but sets criteria based on features such as algorithms and livestreaming. Lawyers for the tech groups argued that platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat would be subject to the law.
Walker said the plaintiffs failed to prove any specific platform met all four criteria outlined in the law. “It is not sufficient for plaintiffs to allege that, because their members include many of the major social media companies, one is likely to meet the law’s coverage requirements,” Walker wrote.
While not addressing the constitutional arguments, Walker also denied the groups’ request for a preliminary injunction last week. Stephanie Joyce of the Computer & Communications Industry Association said the ruling allows the case to be refiled, and the group plans to do so soon.
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NetChoice called the ruling “disappointing,” vowing to continue the legal battle to protect access to online speech and ensure any regulations comply with constitutional standards.
Florida’s law, known as HB 3, was scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1 but remains unenforced due to ongoing legal proceedings.
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