Lawmakers in Florida introduced a bill on Wednesday that prohibits social media platforms from allowing young teens to have accounts.
Anyone under 16 may not create a new social media account, and platforms must delete existing accounts held by minors under 16. Additionally, it would require social media companies to delete personal information from the accounts and use “nongovernmental, independent, third-party not affiliated with the social media platform” to verify users’ age.
After passing the Florida House with a 106-13 vote, the bill now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate.
“These dopamine hits [from social media] are so addictive, it’s like a digital fentanyl,” said Fiona McFarland, a Republican state lawmaker who cosponsored the legislation on the house floor, according to Politico. “And even the most plugged-in parent or attuned teen has a hard time shutting the door against these addictive features.”
Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning regarding the risks associated with social media use for children. He acknowledged that further study was necessary to comprehend the impacts completely. Still, he said that “there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents.”
There is no specific reference to the platforms the legislation would apply to, just that it would apply to anything that “utilizes addictive, harmful, or deceptive design features, or any other feature that is designed to cause an account holder to have an excessive or compulsive need to use or engage with the social media platform.”
Several states have recently taken action to limit teenagers’ exposure to social media. Utah became the first state to ban people under 18 from using social media without their guardian’s consent last year. The law also prohibits minors from utilizing a social media account from 10.30 pm to 6.30 am. In other states, platforms have been required to conduct child safety assessments and change algorithms for minors.