Federal appeals court opinions issued by a panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit allow Florida and Georgia to begin enforcing laws that restrict social media access for young people. The Electronic Frontier Foundation reported the developments on October 23, 2026.
Court Opinions and State Laws
Two opinions issued by the same panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit allow Florida and Georgia to enforce restrictions on social media accounts for people under 16 years old. In Florida, H.B. 3 requires covered platforms to ban anyone under 14 from opening or keeping accounts, while permitting 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts only with parental consent.
In Georgia, S.B. 351 requires parental consent for anyone under 16 to hold an account on social media platforms. The law also requires platforms to make commercially reasonable efforts to check users' ages, creating hurdles for adults and younger users alike.
EFF Response and Documentation
The Electronic Frontier Foundation opposed these laws, stating they threaten the free expression and privacy of both minors and adults. Although the lawsuits are ongoing, the injunctions that paused enforcement have been lifted.
To help challenge the restrictions, the Electronic Frontier Foundation is encouraging internet users and young people to document how they are affected by the rules. Individuals who experience blocked access or encounter age-check hurdles can report their experiences to the organization.
What to do
- Keep a record of how you are affected by social media restrictions, including screenshots and notes on the date, time, service involved, and the task you were trying to accomplish.
- Document any problems with age checks, parental consent processes, or choices to abandon a service due to data requests.
- Email the Electronic Frontier Foundation at agegates@eff.org to share your experience.
Key facts and where they come from
- Two federal appeals court opinions allow Florida and Georgia to start enforcing laws that age-gate and block young people from accessing social media.
two federal appeals courts issued opinions that will allow Florida and Georgia to start enforcing laws that will age-gate and block young people from accessing social media.
- Florida's H.B. 3 bans anyone under 14 from opening or keeping accounts.
requires covered platforms to ban anyone under 14 from opening or keeping accounts—even with parental permission.
- Georgia's S.B. 351 requires parental consent for anyone under 16 to hold an account on social media platforms.
requires parental consent for anyone under 16 to hold an account on social media platforms.
