Tiffany Justice: Florida’s opportunity to empower parents in the digital age

Teens in circle holding smart mobile phones - Multicultural young people using cellphones outside - Teenagers addicted to new technology concept

As a mom and co-founder of Moms for Liberty, I believe parents should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to their kids’ lives, especially in navigating the challenges of technology and social media.

Right now, there’s a major gap in protections for our children: when we give them a phone or tablet, they can download millions of apps from app stores without any parental involvement or consent.

In just hours, kids can access hundreds of apps on their iPhone or iPad, agreeing to terms that grant access to their camera, microphone, location, photos, and more —all without parents getting a single notification. As a mom, it’s alarming to think that our kids, who as minors can’t sign enforceable contracts without our consent, can so easily bypass us in the digital world.

Florida has a chance to lead in fixing this, and with the 2026 Legislative Session approaching, I’m hopeful about the possibilities.

This past Session, Florida’s Legislature faced some hurdles, but it also sparked important conversations about strengthening parental rights. Leaders like Sen. Erin Grall, a steadfast supporter of parents’ authority, and Rep. Tyler Sirois, who has raised critical concerns about the harms of social media and technology on kids, have helped keep these issues front and center.

Their work reminds us that Florida is committed to solutions that prioritize families. Nationally, we see inspiring progress. President Donald Trump is championing parental rights and education reform from the White House, setting a strong example. In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis showed leadership by vetoing a 2024 social media bill that didn’t fully empower parents. Before the Session slowed, there were promising discussions about making the App Store a tool for parents to control which apps their kids can access — a practical idea that aligns with what many of us want as parents.

App stores already collect information like credit card details to verify accounts, so they have the tools to involve parents in approving their children’s app downloads.

For too long, parents have felt sidelined. From cases like January Littlejohn’s in Leon County, where a school’s secret gender transition policies sparked outrage, to struggles accessing school curricula (Arkansas now leads by banning “copywriter claims” that hide teaching materials), to the lack of oversight in kids’ app usage, parents want to be in charge. As a mom, I see technology as both a tool and a risk — it’s powerful, but it can harm our kids if we don’t have a say.

Looking to 2026, Florida has a real opportunity to lead. The upcoming session, with committee meetings starting this fall, is a chance to explore ideas that empower parents. For example, Utah’s App Store Accountability Act, signed into law this year, shows how app stores can restore parents as decision-makers by requiring their approval for kids’ app downloads. At the federal level, Florida Congressman Gus Bilirakis, alongside Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. John James, is co-sponsoring a similar bill to give parents control at the App Store level. These examples offer models Florida could consider to protect kids online while respecting parental rights.

Florida has been a leader in empowering parents since the movement began in 2020. With leaders like Grall and Sirois raising awareness about parental authority and technology’s risks, and with DeSantis backing parent-first policies, I’m confident we can make progress. As a mom, I want Florida to be a place where parents feel equipped to guide their kids through the digital age. By exploring solutions like those in Utah and Congress and keeping parents’ voices at the heart of the conversation, Florida can set a national standard in 2026.

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Tiffany Justice is the co-founder of Moms for Liberty.