Florida's social media ban for kids halted by federal judge
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction against Florida's HB 3, a law regarding youth and social media accounts.
Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee says in court documents obtained by FOX Business that the law is a violation of the First Amendment's protections on free speech.
Walker's ruling on Tuesday sides with trade groups NetChoice and Computer and Communications Industry Association, putting HB 3 on hold until the litigation is resolved.
'Today's ruling is yet another affirmation that the government cannot control or censor online speech. Like all Americans, Floridians have the right to access lawful speech without the government controlling what they say, share or see online,' Chris Marchese, NetChoice Director of Litigation, said in a statement.
'Lawmakers should focus on real, constitutional alternatives that respect both family autonomy and free speech,' he continued.
HB 3 requires social media platforms to bar users under the age of 14 and requires users 16 and under to have parental consent before opening an account.
Getty Images
Jeremy Redfern, a spokesman for Republican Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, whose office is defending the law, said in a statement obtained by Reuters that the 'platforms do not have a constitutional right to addict kids to their products.'
Uthmeier's office plans to appeal it to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, he said.
HB 3 requires social media platforms to bar users under the age of 14 and requires users under 16 to get parental consent before opening an account.
It was supposed to go into effect Jan. 1, but was put on hold due to litigation.
'Today's ruling is yet another affirmation that the government cannot control or censor online speech,' NetChoice's director said.
Getty Images
NetChoice, which represents social media platforms, has won injunctions in recent months against similar laws in Utah and California that restricted the use of social media platforms by youths.
In Tuesday's ruling, Walker said he appreciated that parents are concerned about their children's social media use, but that other, unchallenged provisions of the law offered them recourse.
The industry groups did not address some parts of the law that directed social media companies to delete youth accounts at parental request.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
22 minutes ago
Republicans urge Donald Trump and Elon Musk to end their feud
WASHINGTON -- As the Republican Party braces for aftershocks from President Donald Trump's spectacular clash with Elon Musk, lawmakers and conservative figures are urging détente, fearful of the potential consequences from a prolonged feud. At a minimum, the explosion of animosity between the two powerful men could complicate the path forward for Republicans' massive tax and border spending legislation that has been promoted by Trump but assailed by Musk. 'I hope it doesn't distract us from getting the job done that we need to,' said Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Republican from Washington state. "I think that it will boil over and they'll mend fences' Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, was similarly optimistic. 'I hope that both of them come back together because when the two of them are working together, we'll get a lot more done for America than when they're at cross purposes,' he told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday night. Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, sounded almost pained on social media as Trump and Musk volleyed insults at each other, sharing a photo composite of the two men and writing, "But … I really like both of them.' 'Who else really wants @elonmusk and @realDonaldTrump to reconcile?' Lee posted, later adding: 'Repost if you agree that the world is a better place with the Trump-Musk bromance fully intact.' So far, the feud between Trump and Musk is probably best described as a moving target, with plenty of opportunities for escalation or detente. One person familiar with the president's thinking said Musk wants to speak with Trump, but that the president doesn't want to do it – or at least do it on Friday. The person requested anonymity to disclose private matters. In a series of conversations with television anchors Friday morning, Trump showed no interest in burying the hatchet. Asked on ABC News about reports of a potential call between him and Musk, the president responded: 'You mean the man who has lost his mind?' Trump added in the ABC interview that he was 'not particularly' interested in talking to Musk at the moment. Still, others remained hopeful that it all would blow over. 'I grew up playing hockey and there wasn't a single day that we played hockey or basketball or football or baseball, whatever we were playing, where we didn't fight. And then we'd fight, then we'd become friends again,' Hannity said on his show Thursday night. Acknowledging that it 'got personal very quick,' Hannity nonetheless added that the rift was 'just a major policy difference.' House Speaker Mike Johnson projected confidence that the dispute would not affect prospects for the tax and border bill. 'Members are not shaken at all,' the Louisiana Republican said. 'We're going to pass this legislation on our deadline.' He added that he hopes Musk and Trump reconcile, saying 'I believe in redemption' and 'it's good for the party and the country if all that's worked out.' But he also had something of a warning for the billionaire entrepreneur. 'I'll tell you what, do not doubt and do not second-guess and don't ever challenge the president of the United States, Donald Trump,' Johnson said. "He is the leader of the party. He's the most consequential political figure of this generation and probably the modern era.'
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Opinion - The US Postal Service has an animal welfare problem
Many Americans have a frustrating relationship with the United States Postal Service. Lines are often long, mail gets lost and packages can be delayed. But the government institution's biggest blemish has nothing to do with late birthday cards. The current Postal Service standards for shipping live animals are dangerously inadequate and in desperate need of reform. In May, thousands of chicks were found abandoned in a Postal Service truck in Delaware. With the baby birds trapped without food or water in high temperatures for three days, thousands sadly perished, with less than half of the total 12,000 birds surviving. The U.S. Postal Service said it is investigating the 'process breakdown,' but the incident requires more than bureaucratic proceedings. This particular event is part of a larger pattern of animal mistreatment at the government agency. Earlier this year, Postal Service delays in Indiana left dozens of chicks dead. Thousands more were killed in New England following mail delivery disruptions in 2020. The country's flagship mail carrier transports millions of animals every year, but puzzlingly does not employ a single veterinarian to oversee its animal shipment operations and practices. With weak expert supervision, the shipments happen under conditions that most Americans would find unacceptable for domestic pets like dogs or cats. Animals ranging from birds to reptiles and bees to fish are shipped cross-country with limited standards that only mandate basic ventilation and box labeling. The conditions at airports are particularly heartbreaking. Animals transported through the Postal Service via plane can be left on the tarmac for extended periods before being loaded into the cargo hold. That leaves the living, breathing creatures exposed to extreme heat, bitter cold or other harsh weather conditions. When traveling on vacation through the Phoenix airport in July, would you leave your family dog baking in a crate on the hot runway? Absolutely not. Stronger federal rules are needed to ensure that animals shipped through the Postal Service are treated humanely. The status quo around animal welfare is abhorrent, but the government does not need to reinvent the wheel to rectify the situation. Other companies that transport live animals already have robust rules in place that can, and should, be duplicated at the U.S. Postal Service. For example, when being transported through the sky, animals should be last on and first off the plane. When not actively being loaded, species should be held in climate-controlled hangers, rather than left out in the elements. Flying routes should also be adjusted to cut down on transport time and to reflect weather forecasts that could become hazardous for the animals. When on the road, Postal Service regulations should limit the maximum transit time, create temperature standards and mandate special training for employees to learn best practices around facilitating the transport of live animals. After all, moving a container of baby chicks or insects should be approached differently than delivering an Amazon package. Most importantly, the agency should explore mechanisms that ensure workers adhere to these new protocols. That includes monitoring employees for compliance as well as holding those accountable who break the rules. The tragic episode that recently unfolded in Delaware should be a wake-up call for the United States Postal Service. President Trump should sign an executive order directing the postmaster general to swiftly craft and implement changes. It is well past time for the mail carrier to revamp its processes to reflect modern standards of animal welfare. Animal lives hang in the balance. Robin Ganzert, Ph.D., is the president and CEO of the American Humane Society. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
"I don't want to see my parents fighting": Fox News struggles to cope with Trump-Musk explosion
The cracks in the MAGA alliance are beginning to show, and Fox News isn't quite sure how to patch them. The conservative outlet appeared to be in damage control on Thursday as the rift between Donald Trump and Elon Musk continued to deepen. Many of the network's prominent commentators tried to cope with the situation, downplaying the public clash, describing it as a predictable outcome of a relationship between two powerful individuals and urging the two men to reconcile. 'Sometimes, guys fight,' said Jesse Watters. 'Guys sometimes will punch you in the face, and the next night you're having a beer. Sleep with your girlfriend, and you patch things up.' 'These guys are like roommates,' he added. "They're just blowing off steam.' Greg Gutfeld also reached for metaphors when he urged the two billionaires to 'knock it off.' 'It's like, I don't want to see my parents fighting," Gutfeld said. 'I like Batman and Robin. I don't like Spy vs. Spy.' He also praised Trump and Musk for airing out their grievances transparently for everyone to see. Sean Hannity sought to strike a similarly conciliatory tone, saying that just last week the two men were 'best friends,' and that the dispute ultimately came down to a disagreement over a piece of legislation. 'You have the president of the Free World; the richest guy on earth, one of the strongest guys on earth,' Hannity added. 'Conflicts? They're kind of predictable ... they disagree on policy.' Hannity predicted that Musk and Trump would work it outOther Fox figures didn't shy away from the implications of the very public breakdown. 'This is not a story that anyone was looking for,' Will Cain said. 'Hard to see a path forward for these two to repair their relationship." He called the feud 'a big, ugly battle,' and lamented the consequences for the country. Laura Ingraham, typically a Trump defender, urged the former president to pull back. 'Musk is his own person,' she said. 'Threatening to pull [his] government contracts—that's not wise, when five minutes ago you were of course hailing Musk's work in helping rescue the stranded Americans in space.'
