(NewsNation) — A federal appeals court has cleared the way for Florida to enforce its social media ban for minors, one of the strictest in the entire country.
The law, which bans kids under 13 and requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds, has been the center of litigation for more than a year.
The law targets platforms deemed to have “addictive features,” like infinite scroll and autoplay, including Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Tiktok and more.
It was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year and was slated to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, but temporary injunctions have stalled its enforcement.
The biggest obstacle is a federal lawsuit filed in 2024 by the Computer & Communications Industry Association — which boasts members Meta, X and Google — and codefendant Netchoice, who deem the law an overstep by the government.
DeSantis praised Tuesday’s ruling, writing on X that the law protects “kids against predatory social media companies.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthemeier echoed the same sentiment and said his office plans to “aggressively enforce this law.”
Critics of the law argue that the ban violates free speech rights. In its lawsuit, CCIA and Netchoice said the law was “the latest attempt in a long line of government efforts to restrict new forms of constitutionally protected expression based on concerns about their potential effects on minors.”
But supporters say these platforms are addictive and harmful to children’s mental health.
Stephanie Siegel has two daughters under the age of 12 and welcomes the new regulations.
“The state is coming in and saying, maybe some of these apps won’t be allowed. That actually helps me out,” Siegel told NewsNation. “It gives me a little bit of ground to stand on, which is like, ‘OK, no, you can’t. It’s illegal, and I’m not ready to give you that kind of access.'”
Matthew Bergman, who founded the Social Media Victims Law Center, said relying on these platforms to protect kids is like “asking the fox to guard the hen house.”
NetChoice, which represents the social media platforms, called the latest ruling part of a “censorship regime” in Florida.