A federal appeals court has allowed Florida to enforce a law banning social media accounts for children under 14. The ruling reverses a previous injunction, stating the law likely survives constitutional challenges.
The state of Florida won a key court decision Wednesday that allows it to enforce a ban on social media accounts for kids under 14 and other restrictions. The ruling comes from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which determined that the law likely does not violate the First Amendment.
The law, signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024, was one of the most restrictive in the U.S. regarding social media use by children. It bans social media accounts for Florida children under 14 and requires parental consent for use by kids who are 14 or 15.
Industry trade groups the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued Florida, arguing that the law violated the free-speech rights of social media providers and users. In 2025, a judge said the law likely was unconstitutional and granted an injunction. That injunction was put on hold while the appeals court heard the case.
In a 3-0 opinion, the panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stated that the law "likely does so in a content-neutral manner" regarding the First Amendment. The court noted that the law would likely survive a full legal challenge "because it doesn’t burden substantially more speech than necessary to advance the important interest in protecting minors from social media addiction."
The appeals court judges noted that the law covers social media platforms "that have been determined to induce heavy use by children, and applies only to platforms that use both algorithms and one of several addictive features."
The lawsuit will now return to federal court in Tallahassee. An email seeking comment from the Florida attorney general’s office was not immediately answered.
NetChoice said it was disappointed with the decision. Paul Taske, a lawyer at NetChoice, stated the organization is evaluating its next steps.
"We are currently evaluating all of our options as we continue the fight to ensure Floridians’ rights to free expression online are protected, and parents remain in the driver’s seat when it comes to making decisions for their families," said Paul Taske, a lawyer at NetChoice.
This ruling marks a significant shift in the legal battle over state-level regulations of social media for minors. By allowing the enforcement of the ban for children under 14 and consent requirements for those 14 and 15, the court has signaled that content-neutral restrictions aimed at preventing addiction may withstand constitutional scrutiny. The case now returns to federal court in Tallahassee for further proceedings.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
The day's checked news, by email
One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Or follow for the latest news:
No comments yet. Start the discussion.
The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants to reinstate a 2024 plea deal. The decision clears the way for a military trial scheduled for June 2028.
PoliticsTrending
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social demanding New Mexico change its name to 'New America,' citing prestige and election integrity. This follows previous attempts to rename geographic features and occurs amid midterm election campaigning.