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.
What if I think you shouldn’t be on social media, that you need to go out and interact with your fellow humans?
The problem with passing legislation against specific groups is that they are used as a bellwether for those same laws to be applied to other disenfranchised groups.
The legislators in Florida don’t care about the negative effects of screen time for younger people, they want to see how much they can control a tool used for political organization and communication.
Starting with kids is just the easiest route because they don’t have the same rights as adults.