Florida is on the verge of passing one of the nation’s most restrictive bans on minors’ use of social media

Florida is on the verge of passing one of the nation’s most restrictive bans on minors’ use of social media after the state Senate passed a bill Thursday that would keep children under the age of 16 off popular platforms regardless of parental approval.

The measure now goes back to the state House, where the speaker has made the issue his top priority during the legislative session that ends March 8. Still, critics have pointed to similar efforts in other states that have been blocked by courts.

The bill targets any social media 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. Supporters point to rising suicide rates among children, cyberbullying and predators using social media to prey on kids.

  • bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
    272·
    1 year ago

    how the F is the government going to oversee and reprimand this?

    By requiring the platforms to verify the age of their users with identity checks and government ID. I’d bet the 16 cutoff age is because that’s the age when teens get either driver’s licenses or state ID cards.

    Make no mistake, this has nothing to do with protecting kids. It’s entire aim is to tie online accounts to real life users.

    • Ultraviolet@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      1 year ago

      Then they can very easily create a registry of whatever they want. Someone put pronouns in their bio that don’t match their ID? On a list. Someone signed up for a dating app with their government ID and they’re looking for same-sex partners? On a list. It doesn’t even have to stop there, though that’s definitely where it’s starting. Say on social media that you’re am atheist? On a list. Use your social media presence to criticize the government? You guessed it, on a list.

    • Dankob@lemmy.world
      1·
      1 year ago

      So how come pornhub doesn’t provide ID check? I doubt that’s actually gonna happen…

    • Ð Greıt Þu̇mpkin@lemm.ee
      12·
      1 year ago

      They can already do that just through whatever back doors they can get into social media companies if the corps don’t already just give them the data.

      What this is about is shutting young folks up online because they’re the most vocal opponents of stuff like the don’t say gay bill.

      Personally I’m for government issued universal ID, and I think the government should provide a secure verification API, but I don’t think this because I think there should be age restrictions, I think it because I think it’d be a viable solution to mass botting. Something like 2FA being mandatory would also help so that just stealing someone’s card doesn’t automatically give you access to all their shit.