The groups are challenging a Florida law that bans some teens from social media.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and NetChoice, two prominent tech-industry trade groups, have filed a lawsuit against a Florida statute barring younger teens from social media. Their suit—filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida—cites First Amendment concerns with Florida House Bill 3, which the groups also portray as an imposition on parents’ rights.
“Florida House Bill 3 is the latest attempt in a long line of government efforts to restrict new forms of constitutionally protected expression based on concerns about their potential effects on minors,” their complaint opens. “Books, movies, television, rock music, video games, and the Internet have all been accused in the past of posing risks to minors. Today, similar debates rage about ‘social media’ websites.”
“These debates are important, and the government may certainly take part in them,” the tech groups continue. “But the First Amendment does not take kindly to government effort to resolve them. The Constitution instead leaves the power to decide what speech is appropriate for minors where it belongs: with their parents.”
Florida in yet another attempt to replace Parental Responsibility with a Nanny State watched over by Big Brother. As if that wasn’t bad enough… there is also…
How will kids respond to this? Depends on how badly they “NEED” people to “Like” them. 👍
If they don’t need the “like” to be happy … if their sense of self-worth is unaffected by not being able to get the “like”, if they can replace the 👍 with some other non-destructive form of external validation, no problem. If they can’t, might be a big problem.