New York bans ‘addictive feeds’ for teens

New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, recently signed two bills into law whose aim is to mitigate the impacts of social media on children and teens. These bills are among hundreds considered and several passed by US states in recent years, including age-appropriate design codes, laws requiring parental approval for social media use, and regulations for accessing pornographic websites.

The first bill will allow parents to prevent their children from seeing algorithmically suggested posts, aiming to curb what Hochul argues are ‘addictive feeds.’ The second bill will impose stricter limitations on collecting, using, sharing, and selling personal data of individuals under 18.

“We can protect our kids. We can tell the companies that you are not allowed to do this, you don’t have a right to do this, that parents should have a say over their children’s lives and their health, not you,” Hochul said at a bill-signing ceremony in Manhattan.

Under the SAFE act, apps like Instagram and TikTok would be limited for people under the age of 18 to only view posts from accounts they follow. It would also prohibit these apps from sending notifications to minors between the hours of midnight and 6am. Importantly, a provision within the bill allows for these restrictions to be lifted by “parental consent.”

Social media companies and free speech advocates have opposed these legislations. NetChoice, a tech industry trade group that includes Twitter/X and Meta, has criticized the New York laws as unconstitutional.

Read more: www.addictioncenter.com/news/2024/06/new-york-bans-addictive-feeds/