The Florida House of Representatives has approved a bill banning the use of social media for people under the age of 17.
The bill, which was passed by a bipartisan vote of 106 to 13, stipulates that social networks will have to close existing accounts of children and teens under the age of 17, and that external verification will now be required to filter by age.
The draft law does not mention which platforms will be affected, but it targets any social networking site that tracks user activity, allows children to upload material and interact with others, and uses addictive features designed to cause excessive or compulsive use. The draft law will not affect applications used for private messaging between individuals.
Supporters have argued that social media exposes children to bullying and sexual predators and can lead to depression, suicide and addiction.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, urged the House of Representatives to look for another solution, such as requiring parental consent to download applications. It also wants to address the issue at the federal level rather than a patchwork of different state laws.
It is reported that laws restricting children's access to social media were first passed in Utah in March 2023, followed by other states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas.
A former Pentagon advisor accuses his country's authorities of concealing the killing of 400 Americans in Ukraine
Former Pentagon advisor, retired Colonel Douglas MacGregor, said that at least 400 Americans had died in Ukraine, and accused the US authorities of concealing this information.
MacGregor, a frequent critic of the Ukrainian authorities and American intervention in the Ukrainian conflict, did not explain where he got this number from.
Zakharova comments on the French Foreign Ministry's statement about the killing of French mercenaries in Kharkov
The expert added, on the social media network "There, whether they're under contract or in uniform."
He continued to say: "The White House administration will not talk about this issue, and it will not be published in the media."
The expert expressed his belief that when the conflict in Ukraine ends, Vladimir Zelensky will move to "one of his palaces in Cyprus or Italy."
According to the retired American colonel, Zelensky may also choose the US state of Florida as his place of residence.
“This is all a scam, and Ukrainians are being exploited by the United States,” McGregor wrote.