Florida seeks immediate limits on teens’ use of Meta

Florida refused to join the recent landmark settlement with the social media giant, pushing for stricter controls on Facebook and Instagram.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CN) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier renewed demands Meta mitigate social media’s harm to children on Wednesday, asking a state court for a temporary injunction limiting minors’ access to Facebook and Instagram.In his motion, Uthmeier argues Meta continues to flout the state’s “online child protections law” passed in 2024. The law bans children under 14 from social media platforms entirely and requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to create accounts.Florida first filed suit against Meta in 2024, claiming the social media giant misled parents about the dangers of its social media platforms in violation of the state’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.In his latest filing, the Republican attorney general chastised Meta for not acting fast enough to remove its youngest Florida users and eliminating certain “addictive features” such as “like counts.” Uthmeier also wants the company to limit teens’ screen time on its apps to two hours, end late night notifications and prevent “infinite scrolling.”In August, Meta agreed to a landmark settlement with 47 states and Washington D.C. over claims the company purposely made its apps addictive to children. As part of the settlement, in which the company could pay up to $17.1 billion in civil penalties, Meta agreed to time caps, limits on notifications and restrictions on access between midnight and 6 a.m.Florida, however, did not join the settlement. Noting Meta’s massive profits, Uthmeier calls the settlement a “slap on the wrist that does not cover a single child in this state.”“Meta already told America these kinds of changes are the new industry standard,” Uthmeier said in a social media post on Wednesday announcing the new filing. “Florida kids should not be last in line. Parents, you were the first line of defense. We have your back, and we’ll bring accountability to Big Tech for preying upon our kids.”Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement released after the settlement, Meta’s Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney called for an industrywide solution.“As a parent, I’m proud of both the work Meta has done to protect kids historically, and of this new groundbreaking agreement,” Mahoney said. “But its success depends on all other social media platforms following Meta’s lead.”Florida’s attorney general has focused heavily on social media companies’ effects on children, including defending the 2024 state law banning social media accounts for children under 14. In April, Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Snapchat over violations of that law. Two months later, the attorney general sued TikTok. Last year, he went after Roblox for insufficient age verification controls to prevent children from accessing adult content while also allowing adults to contact minors.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads