By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
The New York state Legislature has approved a bill enabling parents to block algorithmically suggested social media posts for their children. This legislation, aimed at reducing content deemed addictive to minors, now awaits the expected signature of Governor Kathy Hochul.
Addressing Concerns Over Children's Social Media Use
The bill responds to growing concerns about the impact of social media on children and follows ongoing efforts at both state and federal levels to regulate technology platforms. If enacted, the law would prevent social media platforms from displaying algorithmically suggested posts to users under 18, limiting them to content from accounts they actively follow.
Minors could still access suggested posts with "verifiable parental consent." Additionally, the bill prohibits platforms from sending notifications about suggested posts to minors between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental consent.
Implementation and Enforcement
Attorney General Letitia James, who advocated for the bill, will be responsible for creating rules to verify users' ages and establish parental consent mechanisms. The bill will come into effect 180 days after these guidelines are set.
James emphasized the urgent need for the legislation, stating, "Our children are enduring a mental health crisis, and social media is fueling the fire and profiting from the epidemic."
Industry Pushback and Constitutional Concerns
The bill has met with significant opposition from the tech industry, which argues that it infringes on constitutional rights and raises privacy issues. Carl Szabo, Vice President and General Counsel of NetChoice, a tech industry trade group including X and Meta, criticized the legislation as "an assault on free speech and the open internet by the state of New York." He asserted that similar bills have been struck down in other states due to First Amendment and privacy concerns, emphasizing that parental control should be a family, not governmental, responsibility.
Broader Regulatory Context
In response to increasing regulatory pressures, some platforms have implemented their own parental control features. For instance, Meta has introduced tools on Instagram to allow parents to set time limits and monitor their children's activity.
Other states have pursued similar regulations with mixed outcomes. Utah revised its social media youth restrictions following legal challenges, while a federal judge in Arkansas blocked a law requiring parental consent for minors to create social media accounts.
At the federal level, despite numerous congressional hearings on child safety in social media, comprehensive legislation has yet to be passed.
The New York state Assembly finalized the bill's passage on Friday, following approval from the state Senate on Thursday.