A federal judge has shot down a bid by tech industry groups to halt a 2024 Florida law restricting kids under 16 from certain social media platforms, ruling they lack standing to challenge it.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s 13-page decision Thursday rebuffed the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice—representing giants like Google and Meta—who sought a preliminary injunction against the measure, dubbed HB 3.
The law, a flagship of Florida’s 2024 session, bars kids under 14 from accounts on platforms with “addictive features” like algorithms, allows parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, and aims to shield minors from online harms.
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Violations could cost companies up to $50,000 each, plus lawsuits from parents. Though set to kick in January 1, enforcement paused after the state agreed to wait for Walker’s ruling.
The groups cried First Amendment foul, arguing the law curbs their speech and users’ rights. Walker sidestepped that debate, focusing instead on standing.
He found the plaintiffs failed to prove a member—like YouTube or Facebook—faces “actual or imminent” harm traceable to the attorney general, despite their claims of compliance costs and speech restrictions.
“The test is rigorous,” Walker noted, citing Supreme Court and Eleventh Circuit precedent, even if the outcome might baffle outsiders.
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It’s a win for HB 3 backers, led by ex-House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast), who call social media a mental health menace for kids.
The state defends it as a “content-neutral” commercial rule, not a speech grab, targeting addictive design over expression. Tech attorneys, though, blast it as overreach, insisting parents—not Florida—should control kids’ online access with existing tools.
The case rolls on, with the First Amendment clash still unresolved. For now, Florida’s law stands, its fate hinging on further court rounds.
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