Florida attorney general proposes bill that limits social media, AI features for teens in the state

By Reuters News

By Diana Novak Jones

Oct 22 (Reuters) - Days after Florida lost its bid for a court order forcing Meta Platforms META.O to overhaul Instagram and Facebook for teens in the state, its attorney general said he was proposing legislation that would force the company to make the same changes.

  • Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Republican, proposed the legislation, called the Safe Screens Act, on Thursday

  • The act, which would need to be introduced by a legislator, dictates changes for app stores, social media companies and AI chatbots

  • It would require app stores to verify user ages and direct social media platforms to implement two-hour time limits for teens and remove features like infinite scroll or autoplay unless parents enable them

  • It would also bar AI chatbots from simulating companionship with minors and sharing content about self-harm and suicide, among other changes

  • Florida is suing Meta and OpenAI over claims the companies have designed their platforms to be addictive to children

  • The state asked the judges overseeing each case for orders directing the companies to make changes to their platforms

  • On Sunday, the judge overseeing the Meta case rejected Florida’s request, saying it wasn’t appropriate to order the company to make major changes at the start of the case

  • The judge overseeing the OpenAI case has not yet ruled

  • Florida has a state law that bars users under the age of 14 from social media, which a US appeals court just upheld

  • A spokesperson for Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday

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