I can't get over how this "limited government" party has gone from supporting parental rights and promoting family values to becoming fascists.

To be clear, there's a ton of good to be said about preventing kids from using social media. Still, this should be up to the parents and, imo, all parents should limit or restrict it.

Isn't this same as the cigarette and alcohol ban for minors, I hear you ask? No. Alcohol and cigarettes can be purchased from a shop. The government isn't explicitly telling parents the kids can't consume them, it's banning the sale to minors. Social media and cell phones aren't really something a 14 year old can get at a store or happen upon at a party. So, if smoking was legal and the parent restricted their 14 year old from smoking, it wouldn't be too difficult for the kid to get a pack of their own. Social media is different. And shouldn't involve government restrictions. Because, how the F is the government going to oversee and reprimand this?

This is a plot by Christian groomers to isolate their victims

Old internet was absolute anarchy and it was better for it. There was a lot of fucked up shit out there but there werent algorithms manipulating you, sites tracking you, and purposely trying to sow discord for engagement. It was a more like a marketplace with a seedy section that you could visit if you were brave/stupid but you could happily just chill on your niche RC airplane forum if you wanted. The modern internet is more like a pushy used car salesman following you around telling you where to look and a cop following you around too.

Rather than banning social media for kids, we should be banning sites from implementing algorithms on them and tracking them. Frabkly, I'd like to see that for everyone, but its an easier political sell to protect kids from the predatory practices.

I remember the old internet as a refuge from the real world where I could be a sensitive nerd and I wouldn't get bullied for it. Cutting off access to outside ideas and communities for youth is a mistake. It also breaks any semblance of anonimity on the internet; how do you do age verification without having to upload an ID?

Just thought I'd point out that a queer kid with religious parents has an opportunity to find other queer kids and allies via social media.

Should social media do more to ensure child safety? Sure. Is that the reason for Florida doing this? Florida caring about child welfare? What do you think?

They don't want their kids to be able to figure out how fucked Florida is.

I love the party of “small government” fighting to control what websites your children can visit. You know it’s the same people that spent all of 2020 and 2021 screaming about how they shouldn’t be forced to wear a mask or get a vaccine.

My immediate reaction was.. hmm, fuck it, protect the kids, I can get onboard.... And then I remembered the lonely parts of my childhood being better because of irc, BBSs, icq, aol warez groups, etc. "but it's a different world now"... Is it though? Now we have browser history and more forensics. Old Internet was really fucked up. For God's sake, we could get Faces of Death in the video store before we were 12, and kids had playboy on the bus. The bullying thing is worse for sure. Online was a place for the kids who got bullied to get away. Now it's a bullhorn. Actually conflicted on this.

Then they'll create a state-funded youth social media platform moderated by Matt Gaetz

"Florida gets closer to becoming a top market for VPNs"

And I'm sure this won't be like those "click here if you are over 18" buttons that I definitely never clicked when I was underage. Nope. We all know kids aren't rebellious.

Can't believe I'm gonna say this but...good job Florida?

This will require a driver license for every social media account. Adios anonymous political discourse.

Probably just a side effect no doubt.

Because that's what young people need, more ways to be excluded from society and isolated.

Exceedingly rare Florida W

I think they underestimate how capable kids are of making their own damn platforms. With blackjack and hookers.

it's so, so sad what's happened to Florida in the last 4 years.

And just how do they intend to enforce this?

Florida or not, it's a good idea. You can't stop the internet and you can't ask international websites to do this (how would you stop federated websites doing this anyway that are in other countries? You can't)

Put it on the parents, teach your kids, monitor what they are doing, show some responsibility. Actually, don't give kids a phone at all until they're at least 14 or so

Supporters point to rising suicide rates among children, cyberbullying and predators using social media to prey on kids.

That isn't the reason for this.

I dont want the government to ban things, but parents should not be giving their kids social media and smart phones at such young ages. Its overwhelmingly common, but a really bad idea.

I see a chance of Lemmy and mastodon becoming a lot more popular. Plus a spike in vpn useage. All they're doing is encouraging people to get clever and circumvent those rules. Fuck Florida