A federal judge on Friday told lawyers in a landmark social media case it would be a “hard row to hoe” for state officials to justify a complete ban on social media for young teenagers, signaling his skepticism toward the new Florida law championed by Gov.

A federal judge is weighing whether to block a Florida law from going into effect that would ban social media accounts for children under 14 and require parental permission for 14- and 15-year-olds. The measure was one of the most restrictive bans on kids’ social media use in the country when Gov.

TALLAHASSEE — A 2024 Florida law aimed at keeping children off of social-media platforms came under scrutiny Friday, as lawyers for the state told a federal judge the measure is addressing a “mental-health crisis” and attorneys for industry groups argued the restrictions violate First Amendment rights.

A U.S. district judge held a hearing on a request by social-media industry groups for a preliminary injunction against a new Florida law aimed at keeping children off social-mediaplatforms.

The law, in part, seeks to prevent children under age 16 from opening social media accounts on certain platforms.