Florida Attorney General Proposes Safe Screens Act With Overnight Social Media Ban for Teens

By morganverity // 2026-10-28

Copy

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a proposal on Thursday that would restrict teenagers' access to major social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and X, during overnight hours and impose daily and monthly screen-time limits. The measure, called the Safe Screens Act, is intended to combat social media addiction among teenagers, Uthmeier said at a press conference. The proposal would make social media platforms inaccessible for teen accounts from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. nightly, according to Uthmeier's announcement. It would also cap minors' social media use at two hours per day and 60 hours per month across platforms. Uthmeier said the plan targets addictive features such as infinite scrolling, constant notifications, video autoplay, and chatbots that mimic human conversation. "A lot of the mental health, a lot of the suicides, you see these young boys and girls trying to change their image to look different," Uthmeier said. "It's really messing up the minds; it's warping the minds of young people." The Safe Screens Act is a state-level proposal and would require legislative approval to take effect. No final approval was reported in the announcement. Meta has also announced default overnight restrictions and time limits for teen accounts on its platforms [1][2].

Overnight Ban and Screen-Time Limits

Under the Safe Screens Act, social media platforms would be required to block access for teen accounts every night from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., officials said. The overnight restriction would apply to all covered platforms and would be enforced at the platform level, according to the outline of the plan. The proposal would also limit minors to two hours of social media use per day and 60 hours per month across platforms. These limits would apply to teen accounts and would require platforms to track and enforce usage, the plan stated. The restrictions would alter teenagers' access to major social media services, including Instagram, Facebook, and X. If enacted, the measure would represent one of the most stringent state-level social media regulations in the country. Alabama's recent TikTok settlement includes comparable time limits and an overnight ban, though it applies only to that platform [3]. Meta's announced default two-hour daily limit and overnight block for teens on Facebook and Instagram covers its own apps but not other platforms [2].

Attorney General Cites Mental Health Concerns

Uthmeier attributed social media addiction among teenagers to specific platform features, including infinite scrolling, constant notifications, video autoplay, and chatbots that simulate human conversation. He said these design elements contribute to excessive use and negative mental health outcomes. "A lot of the mental health, a lot of the suicides, you see these young boys and girls trying to change their image to look different," Uthmeier said at the press conference. "It's really messing up the minds; it's warping the minds of young people," he added. The attorney general's remarks align with broader concerns about adolescent mental health and social media use. Research has documented associations between heavy social media use and depression, anxiety, and other issues among teenagers. However, the proposal's specific claims about causality and suicide rates have not been independently verified in the announcement.

Default Settings and Feature Restrictions

The proposal would require social media platforms to turn off push notifications and infinite scroll by default for minor accounts unless parents give explicit permission, according to the plan. Platforms would also be required to remove access to cosmetic filters for minors, a requirement tied to Uthmeier's comments about young people trying to change their image. Chatbots would be prohibited from engaging in simulated human conversation with minors or promoting any harmful activity, the proposal stated. Platforms would be required to adjust default settings and restrict certain in-app features for teen accounts, officials said. These provisions aim to reduce features that Uthmeier identified as addictive. The plan would mandate platform-level changes to default settings, shifting the burden from parents to social media companies. Meta has separately announced similar default restrictions for teen accounts on its platforms, including hiding certain features overnight [1][2].

Predator Reporting and Enforcement

Known predators would be banned from social media accounts under the proposal, according to Uthmeier. The plan would require all predator reports to be reviewed by a human within 48 hours, the announcement stated. It can't end up in some email inbox where we find out about it, where law enforcement gets notified weeks or months later," Uthmeier said. "When we find a predator on there, it's a one-strike rule," he added at the press conference. The enforcement provisions would require platforms to act swiftly on reports of predatory behavior. The proposal does not specify how platforms would identify known predators or how the 48-hour review requirement would be monitored. These details would likely be addressed in the legislative process if the proposal advances.

Conclusion: Legislative Process Ahead

The Safe Screens Act is a state proposal, and its requirements would take effect only through the legislative process, officials said. If enacted, the measure would change access to major social media platforms for teenagers and add time limits and default feature restrictions. No final approval was reported in the announcement. The proposal would need to be introduced and passed by the Florida Legislature and signed by the governor before becoming law. Similar measures in other states, such as Alabama's TikTok settlement, have set precedents for platform-level restrictions on teen accounts [3].

References

Meta has announced a default overnight Night Mode .... https://www.facebook.com/theusarmenians/posts/meta-has-announced-a-default-overnight-night-mode-for-teen-accounts-in-the-us-re/1890269005653267/
Meta will impose a default two-hour daily time limit for .... https://www.facebook.com/wfaa/posts/meta-will-impose-a-default-two-hour-daily-time-limit-for-teens-on-facebook-and-i/1545548850942600/
Alabama forces TikTok to cap teen use at two hours, ban cosmetic filters in $100 million deal - NaturalNews.com, September 28, 2026.

Explainer Infographic