Social Media Content Moderation to be Considered by the Florida Legislature

Tallahassee, Fl- Florida Senator Ileana Garcia (R) has filed a bill that would impose content moderation obligations for social media companies operating within Florida. 

Senator Garcia’s bill would require social media companies to develop programs within their applications to shield minors from harmful content. 

Primarily, social media sites will have to install safeguards against minor users being exposed to content that  “promotes, glorifies, or facilitates grooming, solicitation, child pornography, or other sexual exploitation or abuse.” 

Additionally, to adequately identify minors, age verification software will have to be embedded within the social media platform. The option for parents to exercise control over a minor’s social media account would also have to be installed.

Finally, algorithms to identify predatory online behavior or any inappropriate behavior including minors must also be created by social media companies. These would have to include “an automated reporting mechanism that promptly reports identified instances to the appropriate authorities.”

If Garcia’s bill passes, social media companies that fail to adopt the above measures could be fined up to $10,000. The bill would go into effect July 2024.  

Garcia has also taken to social media to express concern at the developing situation in Spain, where the Socialist Party has struck a deal with Catalonian separatists to remain in power. 

“Long live Spain! #Free #NoMoreSocialism,” said Garcia as she re-shared a post by right-wing opposition party Vox. 

 

In exchange for parliamentary support, Pedro Sanchez, the Socialist Party leader, reached an agreement to grant amnesty for Catalonian leaders charged with secession and treason. 

The agreement has been called unconstitutional by sundry groups of judges and generated civil unrest in the streets.