Those 13 years old and younger will not be able to open a social media account in the state, and 14- and 15-year-olds will need parental consent to use such platforms.
Lawmakers, DeSantis said, were “trying to help parents navigate this very difficult terrain that we have now with raising kids.” Across the country there has been rising concern about the effects of social media on child and teen development and learning. DeSantis, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for president and dropped out in January, has argued many times that parents should have more control over decisions affecting their children, particularly in education.Parental rights legislation in Florida and other states has sought to give parents more input in areas deemed controversial, especially education around LGBTQ topics in schools.