Lawmakers in Florida approve a ban on social media for children under 17

The Florida House of Representatives has approved a bill banning the use of social media for people under the age of 17.

The bill, which was passed by a bipartisan vote of 106 to 13, stipulates that social networks will have to close existing accounts of children and teens under the age of 17, and that external verification will now be required to filter by age.

The draft law does not mention which platforms will be affected, but it targets any social networking site that tracks user activity, allows children to upload material and interact with others, and uses addictive features designed to cause excessive or compulsive use. The draft law will not affect applications used for private messaging between individuals.

A cybersecurity expert warns of a new “trend” on Instagram that threatens to steal your personal information., in addition, supporters have argued that social media exposes children to bullying and sexual predators and can lead to depression, suicide and addiction.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, urged the House of Representatives to look for another solution, such as requiring parental consent to download applications. It also wants to address the issue at the federal level rather than a patchwork of different state laws.

It is reported that laws restricting children's access to social media were first passed in Utah in March 2023, followed by other states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas.

Source: AP + "Reuters" -https://r.rtarabic.com/wukg