ORLANDO, Fla. – During a public appearance on Friday in Kissimmee, Gov. Ron DeSantis said that he was “concerned about the “breadth” of a state bill that aims to make it illegal in Florida for children and teenagers who are younger than 16 years old to own a social media account.
DeSantis was reacting to the Florida House’s vote on Wednesday in favor of the bill, which has the support of Florida House Speaker Paul Renner, a Republican from Palm Coast, and Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a Republican from Naples.
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“I am sympathetic, as a parent, to what is going on with our youth, but I also understand that to just say that someone who is 15 just cannot have it no matter what — even if the parent consents — may create some legal issues,” DeSantis said.
There have been concerns that the state law could violate the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. DeSantis said the bill still needs work.
“There have been other states that have tried to do similar things that have met resistance in the courts,” DeSantis said.
Rep. Ashley Gantt, a Democrat from Miami, said parental rights are at issue with the bill. Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, said children may miss out on the opportunity to learn digital skills.
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