Starting tomorrow, what you post online can get you labeled a gang member in Florida.
CS/HB 429 takes effect October 1, and it rewrites how the state decides who counts as a criminal gang member. Under the new law, meeting just two of the state’s criteria is enough for the designation. And the criteria got a lot wider.
Here is what changed. Admitting you are in a gang on social media or anywhere online now counts as evidence. Using what the law calls “gang-related language” online in furtherance of gang activity counts too. And being seen with known gang members now only takes two documented sightings, down from four.
The law was signed by Governor DeSantis back on June 16. But the part that matters starts tomorrow.
The concern is obvious. In a state where gang databases have always disproportionately swept up young Black men, lowering the bar to two criteria, and letting social media posts do the heavy lifting, is going to put a lot of people on a list they cannot easily get off of.
Sources: Florida Senate bill analysis, beezloop, WKMG ClickOrlando, Englewood Review, Safir Law Firm.
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