The New York state Legislature has approved a bill that would give parents the ability to prevent their children from receiving social media posts recommended by algorithms. The regulation aims to address concerns about the addictive nature of social media feeds for kids. Governor Kathy Hochul is expected to sign the bill into law.
This move comes at a time of increased scrutiny over children's social media usage and ongoing efforts to regulate technology platforms at both state and federal levels. The bill would prohibit platforms from displaying suggested posts to individuals under 18 years old, labeling such content as 'addictive.' Instead, minors would only see posts from accounts they actively follow. However, minors could still receive suggested posts with parental consent.
Additionally, the legislation would restrict platforms from sending notifications about suggested posts to minors between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental approval. Attorney General Letitia James, a proponent of the bill, will be responsible for establishing guidelines to determine user age and parental consent mechanisms. The bill will become effective 180 days after these rules are in place.
Letitia James emphasized the mental health crisis among children, attributing part of the issue to social media platforms profiting from the epidemic. The tech industry has expressed strong opposition to the bill, arguing that it infringes on the sites' constitutional rights. Concerns have also been raised about the practicality of age verification and its potential impact on young users' privacy.
Some platforms have responded to regulatory pressures by introducing parental controls. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, introduced tools last year for parents to set time limits and monitor their children's social media usage. Other states have implemented regulations on social media use for minors, with varying outcomes. Utah recently revised its youth social media restrictions, while a federal judge in Arkansas blocked a policy requiring parental consent for minors to create social media accounts.
Although federal lawmakers have conducted hearings on child safety in social media, comprehensive legislation on the matter has not yet been passed. The New York state Assembly finalized the bill's passage on Friday following approval by the state Senate on Thursday.
