A legal battle is brewing over a new Florida law aimed at protecting children from the potential harms of social media. Two internet industry groups, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and NetChoice, have filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law, arguing it violates First Amendment rights.
The law, championed by House Speaker Paul Renner and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis earlier this year, would prevent children under 16 from creating social media accounts without parental consent. Children under 14 would be banned outright.
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The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims the law is overly broad and infringes on the rights of both minors and adults to access information online. The industry groups argue that parents, not the government, should decide what their children can access online, and that existing parental control tools are sufficient.
“In a nation that values the First Amendment, the preferred response is to let parents decide what speech and mediums their minor children may access,” the lawsuit states.
Supporters of the law, including Attorney General Ashley Moody, contend that it is necessary to protect children from the addictive nature of social media and potential exposure to harmful content and online predators. They argue that the law focuses on the addictive features of platforms, not content, to avoid First Amendment issues.
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The lawsuit highlights similar laws that have been blocked in other states and points out that the Florida law does not apply equally to all platforms with potentially addictive features. For example, services like Disney+ and Hulu are not covered by the law, while Facebook and YouTube are.
This legal challenge sets the stage for a significant debate over the role of government in regulating social media and the balance between protecting children and preserving online freedom of speech. The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for how social media platforms operate and how children access online content.
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