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Florida governor signs law restricting social media access for children

CNN  —  Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law banning children under age 14 from having their own social media accounts on Monday, according to a news release from the governor’s office. Fourteen and 15-years-old will be allowed to have accounts with parental consent. In addition to restricting social media accounts for children, the legislation also places restrictions on pornographic websites. The bill, known as HB 3, requires age verification for those who visit sexually explicit websites. HB 3 goes into effect on January 1, 2025. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 31: In this photo illustration, a teenager uses her mobile phone to access social media on January 31, 2024 in New York City. Technology executives appeared at a Senate hearing to address accusations that their companies are endangering children's lives by not adequately policing predators and others who seek to harm and exploit young social media users. (Photo illustration by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Spencer Platt/Getty Images Related article Florida House passes legislation that would prohibit kids under 16 from having certain social media accounts The legislation makes Florida the latest in a string of states to pass laws that restrict young Americans from accessing social media, and is likely to invite legal challenges similar to those already filed in other parts of the country. States including Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Ohio and Utah have pushed similar bills to regulate tech platforms. In February, a federal judge temporarily blocked Ohio’s law over concerns about its breadth and the likelihood that it could infringe on teens’ First Amendment rights to access information online. And last year, another federal judge temporarily blocked Arkansas’ law. DeSantis vetoed a prior version of the Florida law after saying he wanted to ensure that any legislation provides parents with enough of an opportunity to be involved in decisions about their kids’ social media use.