Florida House Passes Bill to Protect Minors from Harmful Online Content

HB 3 by Representative Chase Tramont (R-Port Orange) aims to protect children under 18 from online access to harmful content, such as pornography. The bill requires websites and applications that publish a substantial amount of materials harmful to minors to contract with a third party to verify that the age of a person attempting to access the material is 18 years or older. FCCB supports the bill as a way to safeguard children from exposure to content that is age-inappropriate. Internet usage and mobile technology have become mainstream, especially among teens and young adults, which has increased the accessibility of pornography. Most young people are exposed to porn by age 13, with some exposed as young as seven. Almost 85% of 14 to 18-year-old males and 57% of 14 to 18-year-old females have viewed pornography. On Wednesday, HB 3 received final passage in the House by unanimous vote. The Senate companion, SB 1792 (Grall), has yet to be heard in committee.