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Florida will have one of the country\u2019s most restrictive\u00a0social media bans for minors<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 if it withstands expected legal challenges \u2014 under a bill signed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.<\/p>\n The bill will ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 15- and 16-year-olds. It was slightly watered down from a proposal DeSantis\u00a0vetoed earlier this month<\/a>, a week before the annual legislative session ended.<\/p>\n The new law was Republican Speaker Paul Renner\u2019s top legislative priority. It takes effect Jan. 1.<\/p>\n \u201cA child in their brain development doesn\u2019t have the ability to know that they\u2019re being sucked into these addictive technologies and to see the harm and step away from it, and because of that we have to step in for them,\u201d Renner said at the bill-signing ceremony held at a Jacksonville school.<\/p>\n The bill DeSantis vetoed\u00a0would have banned minors under 16<\/a>\u00a0from popular social media platforms regardless of parental consent. But before the veto, he worked out compromise language with Renner to alleviate the governor\u2019s concerns and the Legislature sent DeSantis a second bill.<\/p>\n Several states have considered similar legislation. In Arkansas, a\u00a0federal judge blocked enforcement<\/a>\u00a0of a law in August that required parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.<\/p>\n Supporters in Florida hope the bill will withstand legal challenges because it would ban social media formats based on addictive features such as notification alerts and auto-play videos, rather than on their content.<\/p>\n Renner said he expects social media companies to \u201csue the second after this is signed. But you know what? We\u2019re going to beat them. We\u2019re going to beat them and we\u2019re never, ever going to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n DeSantis also acknowledged the law will be challenged on First Amendment issues, and bemoaned the fact the \u201cStop Woke Act\u201d he signed into law two years ago was\u00a0recently struck down by an appeals court<\/a>\u00a0with a majority of Republican-appointed judges. They ruled it violated free speech rights by banning private business from including discussions about racial inequality in employee training.<\/p>\n \u201cAny time I see a bill, if I don\u2019t think it\u2019s constitutional, I veto it,\u201d said DeSantis, a lawyer, expressing confidence that the social media ban will be upheld. \u201cWe not only satisfied me, but we also satisfied, I think, a fair application of the law and Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n The bill overwhelmingly passed both chambers, with some Democrats joining a majority of Republicans who supported the measure. Opponents argued it is unconstitutional and government shouldn\u2019t interfere with decisions parents make with their children.<\/p>\n \u201cThis bill goes too far in taking away parents\u2019 rights,\u201d Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani said in a news release. \u201cInstead of banning social media access, it would be better to ensure improved parental oversight tools, improved access to data to stop bad actors, alongside major investments in Florida\u2019s mental health systems and programs.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nSubscribe to the new Fortune CEO Weekly Europe newsletter to get corner office insights on the biggest business stories in Europe. Sign up<\/a> for free.<\/div>\n