Appeals court lets Florida enforce social media ban for kids under 14
A federal appeals court will let Florida enforce its law banning social media accounts for kids under 14, the AP and the News Service of Florida reported. The three judges agreed on the ruling. A tech industry group that sued over the law says it is weighing its options.
Florida won a key court ruling Wednesday that lets it enforce a law banning social media accounts for children under 14, the Associated Press and the News Service of Florida reported.
A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 3-0, both outlets reported. The court said the law, known as HB 3, likely would survive a full legal challenge.
"Yes, (the law) implicates the First Amendment and thus triggers constitutional scrutiny," the opinion states, the News Service of Florida reported. "But it likely does so in a content-neutral manner, and it likely survives intermediate scrutiny because it doesn't burden substantially more speech than necessary to advance the important interest in protecting minors from social-media addiction."
The law covers only platforms that use algorithms and at least one of several "addictive features," both outlets reported. Those limits helped the law stay within constitutional bounds, the News Service of Florida reported.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law in 2024, the AP reported. It was one of the strictest in the country on children's social media use. The law also requires parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts, the AP reported.
Industry groups the Computer & Communications Industry Association and NetChoice sued over the law, the AP reported. A judge in 2025 found it was likely unconstitutional and blocked it. That order was put on hold while the appeal went forward. The case now returns to federal court in Tallahassee, the AP reported.
"We are disappointed in the Eleventh Circuit's ruling, which allows Florida to enforce its law imposing digital ID requirements as a condition for accessing lawful speech," said Paul Taske of NetChoice, the News Service of Florida reported. The group is "evaluating all of our options," he said. NetChoice also warned that sites may have to check the ages of all users, the News Service of Florida reported.
The Florida attorney general's office did not immediately answer an email seeking comment, the AP reported.
What we know: Florida can now enforce its ban on social media accounts for kids under 14 while the lawsuit continues.
What we don't: Whether NetChoice will ask the full appeals court or the Supreme Court to step in.
Where outlets agree The AP and the News Service of Florida both report that a unanimous 11th Circuit panel ruled the law can be enforced.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.