Florida House passes a bill to ban social media accounts for children under 16

In my opinion the South, especially the Deep South, has always been more authoritarian and punitive than the other conservative regions in the country. Florida is technically sort of in the Deep South.
I think it's something about the culture.

 

We set lots of laws based on age. Driving, drinking, voting, enlisting, movies, etc.
How many people in this thread are not concerned by kids and grands being so consumed by the activity on an internet accessible cellphone, scrolling the internet is the most "go-to" activity of too many teenagers today.
Just because they morphed from a wireless telephone to an extension of our brain, does not mean we cannot demand guardrails. Today's kids - and their parents, and our nation, and actually so is most of the world - part of an experiment that is out of anyone's control.
And obviously if you are cool with your middle schooler having the keys to the unlimited information universe, fine. But too many parents are disarmed by the idea that "Phone is life. No phone, no life"
BTW, these theoretical arguments are a distraction, not solution. If you don't care what your kids experience in their phone lives, just spit it out and say so.

 

Florida Gov. DeSantis has legal concerns with House bill banning social media for minors

Days after it passed the Florida House, Gov. Ron DeSantis Friday said he has legal concerns with a bill banning social media for minors younger than 16.

"To say that someone that is 15 just cannot have it no matter what, even if the parent consents, that may create some legal issues," DeSantis said in response to a question at a news conference in Kissimmee on semiconductor manufacturing.

"I am concerned about the breadth of it, and I want to empower parents, I want to give parents tools to be able to do this, so I just think you have to be smart with how you do it," he added.

So my guess is that there will be a parental exception added. Is there an objection to the bill if parents can opt out and allow their kids to get social media accounts?

 

Sure, and you can probably find a country which is more in line with the authoritarian style government which you support, - North Korea for example. Bon Voyage!

 

Since my family goes back at least four generations in Florida and I'm happy with living here... I think I'll stay.

 

please. It sounds good for the Democrat voting OP.

As to the topic; this is NOT the role of govt and it shows a clear example when elected officials go too far. Heck, the GOP on this sounds like Democrats where they know better than parents.

 

Not sure it will do much good, but honestly it can't hurt the kids too much. Most of us grew up without social media, and while it's important to note there's a difference between us not having it because it didn't exist and not having it because you've been told "no", our experiences as kids inform us that one can live a perfectly happy life without the need for constant online validation.

 

Will the ACLU file suit?

'ACLU OF FLORIDA CONDEMNS HOUSE PASSAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA CENSORSHIP BILL'

snip:

'Howard Simon, interim executive director at the ACLU of Florida, responded with the following:

“This vote to ban young people under 16 from having social media accounts even with the consent of their parents shows that the claim of ‘parents’ rights’ of the last two legislative sessions was just a cover for censorship.”

Kara Gross, legislative director and senior policy counsel at the ACLU of Florida, added:

“The legislature continues to prove it has no regard for the First Amendment and free speech. Floridians have spoken out about HB 1 and the multiple constitutional concerns regarding free speech and privacy. The internet, including social media platforms, contains vast amounts of constitutionally protected speech for both adults and minors. '


cont
https://www.aclufl.org/en/press-rel...ns-house-passage-social-media-censorship-bill

 

Your family history is of no interest to me. I like the weather, so I think I'll stay too, and if I see room for improvement I'm happy to point it out, as opposed humping a governors leg.

 

All's good folks.
Kids can continue online gaming and chatting.

'Florida House passes bill to keep minors off social media. But what does Florida consider social media?'

snip:

'The supporters of the bill, HB 1, won't say which ones, though. Facebook? Instagram? X, formerly known as Twitter? YouTube? Truth Social?

"I'm not going to get into specific companies," Republican Rep. Tyler Sirois of Merritt Island, a bill sponsor, said during questions Tuesday on the House floor. "Our bill is focused on features."

"I don't know if it would be helpful for us to actually get in to naming specific companies.'

snip
'What is more specific is the list of online platforms and services the bill provides to explain what social media platform it targets by pointing out which ones it is not. The exceptions are

• 
  
  • News, sports, entertainment or other content preselected by the provider — not user-generated content. This extends to any social media-like functionality tied to those services like chat, commenting and more
  • Interactive gaming, virtual gaming or online services that allow the creation and uploading of content for the purpose of gaming, edutainment or any associated entertainment.'

cont:
https://www.tallahassee.com/story/n...rs-bill-law-what-is-social-media/72355797007/

 

And kids would be "better off" if the government denied them sodas, fast food and TV, but some of us are naturally opposed to government making the calls which belong to the parents.

 

Besides wasting time and money on passing a "feel good" bill that will be proven to be unconstitutional and appealing that ruling it's one of the stupidest bills ever passed and how many of the 20 + Democrats who voted for it up for re-election?


"Meta, the parent company of platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and NetChoice, a tech industry group, last week criticized the proposal and raised the possibility that it would be challenged in court."

 

Can you please point out where I am "humping a governor's leg" ?

And when you get done with that you can tell me again how you're not a "Democrat". Lol

 

Oh No!! They might have to get off their lazy arses and go out side and play to SOCIALize with friends.....THE HORRORS!!!!!

 

Another big brother government proponent has spoken.

Should they ban TV, sodas and junk food too to keep the children sheltered from the evils of the reality?

 

Yes, because anyone who dares oppose big authoritarian governments must be a Democrat. Sheesh.

You support authoritarianism, so you label yourself accordingly and leave me out of it.

 

A progressive accusing the other side of supporting authoritarianism is quite hilarious.

And just because one person proposes a bill does not mean that everyone in the entire party supports it. I could say that you support putting men in little girls bathrooms.

Or that you certainly voted for Andrew Gillum therefore you must support the activities that caused his disgrace

 

Its not an accusation, its an observation based on your posts, and you calling people "Democrats" every time they criticizing big government authoritarianism is absurd at best. Either you are confused, or displaying a textbook example of psychological projection.

 

Maybe just do something about the soda. Its making kids fatter than ever. Nobody needs to drink that many calories for their regular go-to drink

 

I think the question should be not if the law is authoritarian but if the law is beneficial.

I think it is. What do you think?

 

Did they also ban masturbation for children under the age of 16?

 

Florida hasn't always been authoritarian, and probably won't be again after DeSantis leaves.

 

But if the government mandates the minimum wage a business has to pay it's workers is that not also government authoritarianism?

 

Yes, Florida has minimum wage laws. I suppose you can argue that any law which is enforced by the government is "authoritarian", but most people agree some laws are necessary while other laws, like banning social media, are issues which people, or parents can enforce, - or choose to not enforce on their own. Libertarians argue drugs should be legal, because the government doesn't need to police what people put in their bodies, and they would definitely argue that the government should not play parent and ban social media.

 

But parents won't enforce the ban.
Back in the day children would be given a book to keep them quiet. This was when children could actually read.
Radio came along so the parents could sit the child in front of the radio and get a break from them.
Television was used in the same way, to entertain children so the parents could have a break.
Now, and with advertisers seeing the potential, children are given a cellphone/tablet/game device as early as possible for exactly the same reason.
And when they take it away. It seems to be a very real mental health issue.