Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) vetoed legislation that would have imposed a statewide ban on anyone under 16 joining social media, one of the most restrictive bills related to teenagers and social media platforms advanced across the country.
DeSantis announced that he was vetoing HB 1 on Friday, the last day before it would have become law without the governor’s input. He had expressed hesitancy about the bill because it did not offer parents viable options to make choices regarding their children’s access to social media.
“I have vetoed HB 1 because the Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill,” DeSantis posted on X. “Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents’ rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech. I anticipate the new bill will recognize these priorities and will be signed into law soon.”
If passed, HB 1 would have banned teenage use of social media by specifically targeting platforms that track user activity, allow children to upload content, and have addictive features such as scrolling feeds.
The Florida Senate president and speaker of the House claim to be working with DeSantis to refine the legislation.
“We’re looking at alternatives and what we can do together,” Speaker Paul Renner told reporters, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. “So we’re still working together.”
“I think the governor and the speaker are having conversations, good conversations about the bill,” Senate President Kathleen Passidomo added. “And I support the speaker and his initiative. I support the governor and his thoughts, So if they can come to a good compromise, I’m all for it, and I’ll help them in any way I can.”
Florida would have joined a number of states in passing legislation restricting underage access to social media if not for DeSantis’s veto.
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Ohio, California, Arkansas, and Utah attempted to implement laws requiring age verification and restrictions on social media in the last year, only for all of the states’ suits to be blocked in court by the conservative technology advocacy group NetChoice.
