PanamaTimes

Thursday, Aug 20, 2026

I wish he would be my president: Ron DeSantis signs law that restricts social media for children under 16, completely bans kids under 14

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis approved legislation Monday prohibiting minors under the age of 14 from using social media and mandating 14-and-15-year-olds obtain parental consent before logging on.
The new law, House Bill 3, compels social media firms to scrap existing accounts for children and permits parents to request their child’s account be terminated.

“Social media harms children in a variety of ways,” DeSantis said in a statement. “HB 3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children. Thank you to [Florida House] Speaker [Paul] Renner for delivering this landmark legislation.”

To verify the age of users, the law — which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025 — will require social media companies to keep users’ personal information anonymous and protected.
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