Social media ban for kids under 14 can be enforced in Florida as lawsuits continue

Florida can enforce social media law for minors

A federal appeals court is allowing Florida to enforce a law that prevents children from having access to certain social media sites. FOX 13’s Mariah Harrison reports.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida is now permitted to enforce its controversial social media restrictions for minors after an appeals court lifted a temporary injunction on HB 3.

The ruling, made Tuesday, reverses a federal judge’s decision from this summer that had paused the law over potential constitutional concerns.

The backstory:

HB 3 prohibits children under 14 from having social media accounts and requires parental consent for 14- and, in some cases, 15-year-olds to use platforms featuring infinite scroll, autoplay, and similar engagement-driven features.

Though enforcement can move forward, HB 3 remains tied up in a larger legal fight. Two major industry groups, NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association, filed a federal lawsuit last year after the law was approved in Tallahassee. Their membership includes some of the country’s biggest platforms — Google, Meta, and Snap Inc.

Dig deeper:

A federal judge previously sided with the groups, ruling that HB 3 may violate the First Amendment and temporarily blocking its rollout. The state appealed, leading to this week’s reversal.

Supporters say the law protects kids; opponents say it overreaches

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Supporters of HB 3 argue the law is a needed safeguard against harmful online content that contributes to anxiety, depression, self-harm, and other mental health concerns in young users.

UCLA’s Prof. Mark Kaplan, who studies youth mental health, explained:

"There is impact of social media on kids’ well-being… we’re talking about kids’ depression, depressive symptoms, suicidality and self-harm."

But critics say the law interferes with parental authority and violates free-speech protections.

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Attorney Paul Taske of NetChoice argued, "Whatever you might think about the goal… they’ve got it backwards. What HB 3 does is place the government in the driver’s seat, rather than parents."

Many social media platforms have already begun rolling out voluntary protections for minors. Meta and Instagram have expanded "teen accounts," designed to limit content and interactions. The companies also use AI tools to detect teen users and restrict access to certain features.

The other side:

Opponents of HB 3 argue these efforts make the state law an unnecessary overstep.

What's next:

As the legal battle continues, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier says the state will move ahead with enforcement of the law.

The lawsuit challenging HB 3 is expected to continue through federal court, where judges will decide whether the law ultimately stands or is struck down.