New Florida Bill Bans Minors From Social Media

There is a new bill in Florida that bans minors from social media. This is for minors under the age of 16. The bill now goes to Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk after he vetoed a previous version of the bill. This bill is known as House Bill 3 and it bans anyone under the age of 14 from creating social media accounts. Additionally, the bill requires 14 and 15-year-olds to have an opt-in from a parent. Also mentioned in the bill is that “Adult” websites must also use third-party age verification. The reason for that is to restrict anyone under 18 from accessing those sites. If the bill is signed by DeSantis, the law would go into effect July 1, 2024.

So, if this bill does pass then social media companies would then be required to remove the accounts of anyone under the age of 14. They would have a 90-day period for appealing it. Finally, they would have to remove accounts of 14 and 15-year-olds unless a parent provides consent to keep the account active for their children.

I personally don't allow my children to have social media although they aren't teenagers yet. Even if they were this bill seems like it is trying to protect children from things they shouldn't be seeing. When I was reading the story about this there were a couple of quotes from House Representatives that I found interesting. Here is one of them from Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-Sarasota), “Social media is designed with an insidious underbelly of addiction that preys especially on the developing minds of our young people. Platforms turn kids into addicts, unable to step away from their digital devices or ignore the constant stream of notifications. We will not allow platforms to work at cross purposes against parents.” Secondly, Rep. Michele Rayner (D-St. Pete), says, “This is a generational bill that will save lives.”

[SOURCE: WFLA]

Tampa must be doing something right to have so many people move here every year. A recent Reddit thread asked the question, "what is Tampa doing right compared to other major cities?" A lot of people chimed in with their opinions. We thought we would highlight the best ones.

We know that Tampa is not perfect, and really any U.S. city could always use some improvements. But that doesn't mean Tampa isn't a great place to live or vacation. Compared to other cities, we seem to be doing a few things right. Now I have not been to every major U.S. city, but a fair share. So I think I can agree with everything the Reddit users have listed.

Recently Creative Loafing put out a survey to their readers. They had nearly 200 responses for the "What Tampa Bay Needs" survey. A Tampa Bay Times journalist even submitted his twelve suggestions that would make Tampa a better place. It included the obvious building of a train/light rail on 275, increasing public parks, building more sidewalks, and more. You can read all the suggestions here.

Although it needs some work, one surprising thing you will find on this list is public transportation. Everyone in the Tampa Bay area seems to agree that we need a better solution for our traffic. Maybe expanding lanes can help short term, but with the overwhelming number of people moving to Tampa, it can only help for so long. Many residents think that the new Howard Frankland Bridge won't make a bit of a difference when it comes to relieving traffic. The good news is that they are building the bridge to be able to equip a light rail when the time comes.

There's a reason TPA has a cult-like following. It's because it's been named one of America's best airports over and over again. Tampa International Airport is so organized and efficient compared to other airports like MCO (and from my personal experiences) Denver Airport, Phoenix, LAX, etc.

We know how bad the traffic can be in Tampa, but thankfully the road conditions aren't as bad as other major cities. It helps that we have multiple resources to report potholes, asphalt delamination, and more. Reddit users say they've filed complaints with the City of Tampa's fix it fast program and saw changes within 24-48 hours.

After realizing how much you pay for property taxes, you should really take advantage of your public library. Once you get a library card, you can download any ebook, magazine, and more from Hillsborough libraries through the Libby app. Plus many libraries offer kids clubs, ASL classes, and computers with Adobe programs.

This one may be controversial for some of you. But keep in mind we're comparing Tampa to other major U.S. cities. Compared to places like LA, NYC, Chicago, and New Orleans, Tampa is way cleaner than many other major markets. Think back a few weeks to Gasparilla, the day after the parade, it looked like it didn't even happen! Plus we have so many pet cleanup stations and trash cans that are regularly emptied.

While Tampa is lacking some major public transport like a light rail, the systems we do have are reliable and fairly affordable. We are forever grateful the TECO streetcar in Downtown Tampa is free to use. Our preferred way of getting around on Lightning game days. Plus, there's the Pirate Taxi, Cross Bay Ferry, and downtown has the cheap option of the Dash Tesla cabs. Riders are $2 each.

Speaking of Lightning game days. The Tampa Bay Lightning organization is one of the reasons that makes Tampa so great. Owner Jeff Vinik has put a lot of money and change into the city over the past few years. Plus, the way the players and organization interact with and help the community is outstanding. Someone also mentioned the traffic control around Lightning (and Bucs) games are way better compared to other cities.

Tampa is known for it's diverse population with a lack of segregated areas (besides Hyde Park and Davis Island). From restaurants, to art galleries and museums, Tampa is flooded with all kinds of culture. We are also home to the only trilingual paper in the country.