Washington – The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Florida’s HB3, restricting access to social media for teens, can be enforced ahead of the First Amendment issues being fully heard in federal court. The Court made this determination in a decision issued today reversing and vacating a preliminary injunction that would have blocked the law.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association, along with its co-plaintiff NetChoice, argued its case against Florida’s social media rationing law, HB3, before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals March 9. The plaintiffs argued that HB3 restricts users’ access to lawful content in violation of the First Amendment.
In reviewing the injunction on the merits, the Court found that HB3 was content-neutral, a determination that meant the law was subject to a more deferential review by courts. The Court also found that Florida had asserted an important government interest when it enacted the law and that the law did not burden substantially more speech than necessary, both of which ensured that the law survived constitutional challenge.
HB3 has been enforced since November 2025 after the Court of Appeals lifted a preliminary injunction that had temporarily blocked enforcement. That decision represented a temporary stay of the injunction; today’s decision is a substantive ruling on the legality of the injunction. This is Florida’s second attempt at restricting social media access. The first attempt was blocked by the Supreme Court and sent back to lower courts for a full hearing.
The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Matt Schruers:
“This ruling is deeply concerning and risks altering First Amendment protections against government interference in online speech for users young and old alike. It grants the government considerable power to manage how its citizens access information, based on Florida’s unsubstantiated claims about addiction. In the name of curbing overuse, the decision risks imposing identity authentication on Floridian internet users of all ages.”
