Florida Attorney General Proposes Safe Screens Act for Teens
Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed the Safe Screens Act to limit teen screen time and ban addictive social media features in Florida.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed the Safe Screens Act on October 22, 2026, to impose strict regulations on social media and AI chatbots for teenagers. Announced at Polk State College in Winter Haven and during a news conference in Tallahassee, the legislation targets users aged 14 to 17 by limiting daily screen time to two hours and monthly use to 60 hours.
The act would mandate a Quiet Mode to block access during school and nighttime hours and require app stores and AI platforms to implement age verification and parental consent. To combat addiction, the law would disable features such as reaction counts and infinite scroll by default. Additionally, the proposal prohibits AI chatbots from encouraging self-harm or simulating companionship. Violations would be classified as unfair practices, with fines reaching $50,000 per instance.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd spoke in support of the measure, praising the initiative to protect children from exploitation by large gaming and social media companies. The proposal follows a failed attempt by Uthmeier's office to secure a temporary injunction against Meta Platforms Inc. to restrict similar features.
