Florida Attorney General proposes Safe Screens Act to limit social media, AI for teens

Florida: The state of Florida has enacted laws restricting social media access for younger children and maintains an active attorney general's office focused on consumer protection and child safety online. Attorney General James Uthmeier has advanced multiple lawsuits against technology platforms over alleged harms to minors. The state recently shifted from seeking court-ordered changes in ongoing litigation to proposing new legislation targeting app stores, social media design features, and AI tools. James Uthmeier: James Uthmeier serves as Florida's Republican Attorney General and has prioritized investigations and legal actions against technology companies over online child safety and consumer protection issues. He proposed the Safe Screens Act to mandate age verification for app stores and impose default protective settings on social media and AI chatbots for teens. Uthmeier's office has also pursued separate litigation against Meta and OpenAI. Meta Platforms: Meta Platforms operates major social media services including Facebook and Instagram and has faced multiple state-level lawsuits alleging it prioritized engagement over user safety for younger audiences. The company is currently defending against a Florida lawsuit claiming deceptive practices around child protection on its platforms. It has also been involved in multistate settlement discussions regarding teen safety features. Safe Screens Act: The Safe Screens Act is proposed Florida legislation that would require app stores to implement age verification and parental consent processes for minors. It directs social media platforms to apply default time limits, disable infinite scroll and autoplay features for teens unless parents opt in, and impose overnight quiet modes. The act further prohibits AI chatbots from simulating companionship with minors or sharing certain harmful content. Diana Novak Jones: Diana Novak Jones is a Reuters legal reporter covering product liability, litigation, mass torts, and the plaintiffs' bar. She previously worked at Law360 and the Chicago Sun-Times. She reported on Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's proposal of the Safe Screens Act. Regulation: Multiple U.S. states have recently advanced or enacted legislation addressing addictive design features in social media platforms and safety requirements for AI chatbots used by minors. Industry Response: Meta Platforms has reached settlements with numerous states over child safety protections on its platforms, while Florida has pursued independent litigation and legislative proposals. Legal Developments: A federal appeals court recently upheld Florida's existing law restricting social media access for children under age 14.