DeSantis vetoes bill that would’ve banned kids under 16 from social media

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A controversial bill that would have impacted minors across the state of Florida will not become law.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have banned children under 16 from having social media accounts.

HB 1 would restrict teenagers under the age of 16 from creating social media accounts and provide options for termination of their existing accounts.

The bill aimed to protect them from addictive algorithms.

The governor said he instead wants to make way for a new, different bill, writing on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that everyone still calls Twitter, “protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents’ rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech.”

The bill would have required social media companies to close any accounts it believes to be used by minors and to cancel accounts at the request of a minor or parents. Any information pertaining to the account must be deleted.

Florida lawmakers are expected to come up with a new bill that would be a compromise with the one DeSantis just vetoed.