Florida banned kids under 14, took Meta to court, and went after ChatGPT. Now it wants the phone itself to check your age.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n![\"Uthmeier](\"https:\/\/media.reclaimthenet.org\/images\/2026\/10\/XdANqeRysqMf.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBy Dan Frieth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced a legislative proposal that would bring age verification to the app store, the operating system, and AI chatbots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The announcement was made at Polk State College in Winter Haven, and Uthmeier was joined by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and education leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the proposal, app stores and similar marketplaces would have to \u201cdetermine the user\u2019s age, link minors to a parent\u2019s account, and obtain parental consent before a minor downloads or buys an app from a covered platform.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, the operating systems would have to \u201capply age-appropriate restrictions at the device level based on the user\u2019s age,\u201d while AI chatbot operators and platforms \u201cmust determine account holder\u2019s age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The proposal, that has not yet been turned into a bill, is full of invasive promises, including that \u201call age determination must use commercially reasonable, privacy-protective methods,\u201d as if that’s possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, no method is named, and this is the same promise made with most age-check laws, while reports of identity document leaks keep showing that the promise is not being kept. As Reclaim The Net reported in April<\/u><\/a>, Discord\u2019s earlier experiment with government ID age checks ended in a massive breach that exposed over 70,000 government-issued IDs.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther provisions of the proposal include forcing social media accounts of those aged 14 to 17 to have a \u201cquiet mode\u201d that blocks access from 11 pm to 7 am, and from 8 am to 3 pm on school weekdays. The release says, \u201cMuting notifications is not enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the same age group, screen time would be capped at two hours a day and 60 hours a month, \u201cincluding messaging and long-form content.\u201d Like counts would be hidden, autoplay and infinite scroll would be off unless a parent turns them on, and cosmetic filters would be disabled. Teen accounts would not be recommended to unconnected adults, who may not message them. Every three days, teens would get a prompt to switch to a non-personalized feed that they cannot dismiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reports of child sexual exploitation would get human review within 48 hours, with a \u201cone-strike\u201d rule for adult offenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AI chatbots would not be allowed to offer minors features that \u201csimulate companionship through personification, emotional engagement, user-data retention, unsupervised therapy, sexual content\u201d or ones that \u201csuggest the chatbot is a real human\u201d or \u201cencourage isolation or discourage help from appropriate adults.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The press release said that knowing or reckless violations would be considered unfair practices under Florida Statutes section 501.1736<\/u><\/a>, and would carry a fine of up to $50,000 per violation. The AG\u2019s office would also be able to \u201cmaintain a public website to track incidents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nUthmeier said, \u201cParents deserve real control, and companies must design for safety, not addiction.\u201d He also noted that \u201cFlorida already prohibits social media accounts for anyone under 14, and the Eleventh Circuit just upheld that law. The Safe Screens Act goes further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you invite Florida\u2019s children onto your platform, you have a duty to keep them safe,\u201d he also said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Judd, meanwhile, praised the proposal, saying, \u201cIt takes the power and determination of an Attorney General to keep large social media and gaming companies from exploiting and endangering our children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
State Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, a Republican from Lakeland, said, \u201cTechnology is changing faster than ever and we have a responsibility to make sure our laws keep up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new proposal was announced by the state\u2019s Attorney General, who cannot actually file a bill \u2013 that would have to be done by a member of the Florida House or Senate, and there has been no word on that yet. The 2027 legislative session is set to start on March 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uthmeier faces reelection in less than two weeks, while his Democratic challenger, former state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, reacted to the announcement by saying, \u201cFlorida families deserve an Attorney General who understands that protecting children matters more than political headlines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the Eleventh Circuit ruled on October 14<\/u><\/a> that HB 3 is likely constitutional and threw out the injunction that had been blocking it. The law bans those under 14 from covered platforms and requires parental consent for those aged 14 and 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe court said the law works \u201cnot as an outright prohibition of platform usage but rather as a \u2018conditional ban\u2019 of sorts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) President Matt Schruers said the decision \u201crisks imposing identity authentication on Floridian internet users of all ages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her November 2025 dissent, Judge Robin Rosenbaum wrote that the law \u201ceffectively requires linking users\u2019 identities (not to mention their parents\u2019 identities) with users\u2019 social media accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reclaim The Net reported on October 8<\/u><\/a> that Uthmeier asked a court to order Meta to check the ages of its Florida users. The state opted out of the multistate settlement with Meta, with Uthmeier saying at the time, \u201cMeta tried to get us to take their low-ball settlement, but we won\u2019t sell out our kids.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nAt the end of September, the AG asked a court to order OpenAI<\/u><\/a> to implement \u201ca robust and effective age verification system\u201d for ChatGPT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBy Dan Frieth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has announced a legislative proposal that would bring age verification to the app store, the operating system, and AI chatbots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The announcement was made at Polk State College in Winter Haven, and Uthmeier was joined by Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and education leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the proposal, app stores and similar marketplaces would have to \u201cdetermine the user\u2019s age, link minors to a parent\u2019s account, and obtain parental consent before a minor downloads or buys an app from a covered platform.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, the operating systems would have to \u201capply age-appropriate restrictions at the device level based on the user\u2019s age,\u201d while AI chatbot operators and platforms \u201cmust determine account holder\u2019s age.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The proposal, that has not yet been turned into a bill, is full of invasive promises, including that \u201call age determination must use commercially reasonable, privacy-protective methods,\u201d as if that’s possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, no method is named, and this is the same promise made with most age-check laws, while reports of identity document leaks keep showing that the promise is not being kept. As Reclaim The Net reported in April<\/u><\/a>, Discord\u2019s earlier experiment with government ID age checks ended in a massive breach that exposed over 70,000 government-issued IDs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other provisions of the proposal include forcing social media accounts of those aged 14 to 17 to have a \u201cquiet mode\u201d that blocks access from 11 pm to 7 am, and from 8 am to 3 pm on school weekdays. The release says, \u201cMuting notifications is not enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the same age group, screen time would be capped at two hours a day and 60 hours a month, \u201cincluding messaging and long-form content.\u201d Like counts would be hidden, autoplay and infinite scroll would be off unless a parent turns them on, and cosmetic filters would be disabled. Teen accounts would not be recommended to unconnected adults, who may not message them. Every three days, teens would get a prompt to switch to a non-personalized feed that they cannot dismiss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reports of child sexual exploitation would get human review within 48 hours, with a \u201cone-strike\u201d rule for adult offenders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AI chatbots would not be allowed to offer minors features that \u201csimulate companionship through personification, emotional engagement, user-data retention, unsupervised therapy, sexual content\u201d or ones that \u201csuggest the chatbot is a real human\u201d or \u201cencourage isolation or discourage help from appropriate adults.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The press release said that knowing or reckless violations would be considered unfair practices under Florida Statutes section 501.1736<\/u><\/a>, and would carry a fine of up to $50,000 per violation. The AG\u2019s office would also be able to \u201cmaintain a public website to track incidents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uthmeier said, \u201cParents deserve real control, and companies must design for safety, not addiction.\u201d He also noted that \u201cFlorida already prohibits social media accounts for anyone under 14, and the Eleventh Circuit just upheld that law. The Safe Screens Act goes further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you invite Florida\u2019s children onto your platform, you have a duty to keep them safe,\u201d he also said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Judd, meanwhile, praised the proposal, saying, \u201cIt takes the power and determination of an Attorney General to keep large social media and gaming companies from exploiting and endangering our children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n State Rep. Jennifer Kincart Jonsson, a Republican from Lakeland, said, \u201cTechnology is changing faster than ever and we have a responsibility to make sure our laws keep up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new proposal was announced by the state\u2019s Attorney General, who cannot actually file a bill \u2013 that would have to be done by a member of the Florida House or Senate, and there has been no word on that yet. The 2027 legislative session is set to start on March 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Uthmeier faces reelection in less than two weeks, while his Democratic challenger, former state Sen. Jose Javier Rodriguez, reacted to the announcement by saying, \u201cFlorida families deserve an Attorney General who understands that protecting children matters more than political headlines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, the Eleventh Circuit ruled on October 14<\/u><\/a> that HB 3 is likely constitutional and threw out the injunction that had been blocking it. The law bans those under 14 from covered platforms and requires parental consent for those aged 14 and 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The court said the law works \u201cnot as an outright prohibition of platform usage but rather as a \u2018conditional ban\u2019 of sorts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) President Matt Schruers said the decision \u201crisks imposing identity authentication on Floridian internet users of all ages.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her November 2025 dissent, Judge Robin Rosenbaum wrote that the law \u201ceffectively requires linking users\u2019 identities (not to mention their parents\u2019 identities) with users\u2019 social media accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reclaim The Net reported on October 8<\/u><\/a> that Uthmeier asked a court to order Meta to check the ages of its Florida users. The state opted out of the multistate settlement with Meta, with Uthmeier saying at the time, \u201cMeta tried to get us to take their low-ball settlement, but we won\u2019t sell out our kids.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of September, the AG asked a court to order OpenAI<\/u><\/a> to implement \u201ca robust and effective age verification system\u201d for ChatGPT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n