The measure is a legislative proposal, not a bill. No state legislator has introduced it, and Uthmeier is asking the Florida Legislature to take it up. It cannot move through the process until a lawmaker files it. Uthmeier framed it as an extension of his existing litigation. He pointed to Florida's ban on social media accounts for anyone under 14, which he said the Eleventh Circuit just upheld. The announcement also came days after a judge rejected Florida's request for an order requiring Meta Platforms to change Instagram and Facebook for teens. The bill's requirements would apply across categories of technology companies, not only to the two businesses the state is already suing.
Attorneys advising app stores, AI chatbot operators, operating system makers, or social media platforms with teen users should track whether a lawmaker files the bill and what text emerges, particularly the definitions and the "knowing or reckless" standard that triggers penalties. The chatbot provisions matter now because AI chatbots are already offered on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Companies should also weigh the political context. Uthmeier is seeking reelection in two weeks, and the bill's fate depends on lawmakers who have not yet acted on it.