ISLAMABAD: With the increasing awareness about the harmful effects of social media on children, the US state of Florida will be banning children under 14 from using social media starting January 1, 2025.
Few weeks ago, Australia passed social media ban for children under 16.
Illegal starting January 1, 2025
Starting January 1, 2025, it will be illegal for children under 14 in Florida to have social media accounts, according to The Business Magnets.
Those aged 14 and 15 can only have accounts with parental approval. Social media platforms will be required to terminate accounts for users under 14 or for those aged 14 and 15 without parental consent, with a 90-day appeal period.
New accounts must undergo third-party age verification, and violations could result in fines of up to $50,000 per case, it said.
Social media platforms will be required to terminate existing accounts suspected to belong to children under 14, with a 90-day window for appeals, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.
Law challenged
While the law goes into effect on the first of January, it has already been challenged on First Amendment grounds. Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office announced last month that the state would not be enforcing the law on major social media platforms until the court rules on a motion for preliminary injunction. A hearing will be held in late February, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
