A new law signed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday may result in Florida having one of the strictest bans on social media for minors in the country, pending any legal challenges.

The legislation will prohibit minors under the age of 14 from having social media accounts and will mandate parental consent for minors aged 15-16. This bill was slightly amended from a previous proposal that was rejected by DeSantis earlier this month, just a week before the end of the annual legislative session.

The top priority of Republican Speaker Paul Renner was the new law, which will go into effect on January 1.

During the bill-signing ceremony at a school in Jacksonville, Renner stated that a child’s brain development prevents them from realizing and avoiding the harmful effects of addictive technologies. Therefore, it is our responsibility to intervene on their behalf.

The legislation that DeSantis rejected aimed to prohibit children under 16 from accessing commonly used social media networks, regardless of parental permission. However, prior to the veto, Renner and DeSantis reached a mutually agreeable compromise to address the governor’s worries, and the Legislature subsequently passed a second bill to him.

A number of states have pondered comparable legislation. In Arkansas, a federal judge halted implementation of a law in August that mandated parental consent for minors to establish new social media accounts.

Those who support the bill in Florida believe that it will be able to withstand legal challenges because it aims to prohibit social media platforms that rely on addictive elements like notification alerts and auto-playing videos instead of targeting the content itself.

According to Renner, he anticipates that social media companies will take legal action immediately after this is approved. However, he is confident that they will be successful in overcoming any obstacles and will persist in their efforts.

DeSantis recognized that the law may encounter legal challenges regarding its compliance with the First Amendment. He expressed disappointment over the recent ruling by an appeals court, comprised mainly of Republican-selected judges, invalidating the “Stop Woke Act” that he had approved two years ago. The court concluded that the law infringed upon individuals’ free speech rights by prohibiting private companies from addressing issues of racial inequality in employee training.

“I will veto any bill that I believe is unconstitutional,” stated DeSantis, a lawyer. He expressed certainty that the ban on social media will be upheld and believed that they have successfully met the requirements of the law and Constitution.

The legislation was approved by a large margin in both houses, with some Democratic members joining a majority of Republican supporters. Those against the bill claimed that it went against the constitution and that the government should not intervene in decisions made by parents for their children.

“According to a news release, Democratic Representative Anna Eskamani expressed concern that this bill excessively limits parental rights. Rather than completely prohibiting social media usage, it would be more beneficial to implement better parental supervision tools and increase access to data to prevent harmful behavior. Additionally, Representative Eskamani suggests investing in Florida’s mental health systems and programs.”