New York, United States

On Friday, the state of New York passed two legislations to shield kids from social media content that is too addicting and to safeguard their privacy. These rules aim to restrict the amount of time kids spend on computer-generated algorithmic social media feeds.

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The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (Safe) for Kids Act forbids social media companies from notifying minors between the hours of 12 and 6 AM about addictive feeds and mandates that they limit access to addictive feeds on their platforms for users under the age of 18.

The second regulation, the New York Child Data Protection Act, forbids internet companies from gathering, using, disclosing, or selling any personal information of people under the age of eighteen unless they have permission in writing or unless it's essential to the operation of the website.

The law permits the state attorney general to fine a person up to $5,000 for each infraction.

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Governor Kathy Hochul described the legislation as a "historic step forward in our efforts to address the youth mental health crisis and create a safer digital environment for young people."

He further said, "New York is leading the nation to protect our kids from addictive social media feeds and shield their personal data from predatory companies."

The teachers union also welcomed the decision. Melinda Person, president of the New York State Teachers' Union, in a statement said, "Educators see the harmful effects of social media on our kids every day, and this legislation is a tremendous first step toward ensuring these influences remain in their proper places," stated Melinda Person, president of the New York State Teachers' Union, in a statement.

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The Safe for Kids Act defines addictive feeds as those that are based on a user’s “liked” or “followed” content or other actions that the user may not be aware of, such as how long they look at a particular piece of media.

These feeds “make predictions about interests, mood, and other factors related to what is most likely to keep users engaged for as long as possible, creating a feed tailor-made to keep each user on the platform for longer periods”, the law states. 

“Since their adoption, addictive feeds have had a dramatic negative effect on children and teenagers, causing young users to spend more time on social media than they otherwise would, which has been tied to significantly higher rates of youth depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and self-harm.”

Similar laws shielding kids from social media use have been drafted throughout the United States based on the common perception that social media use is raising the incidence of mental illness in kids.

Parental consent laws are being created or updated in Connecticut, Vermont, Illinois, New Mexico, Maryland, and Minnesota. Some of these laws require online platforms to carry out safety assessments for children, modify their designs to help children avoid harmful content, and restrict who can contact minors.

Alleging that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, breached children's privacy, 33 states filed a lawsuit against it last year.

(With inputs from agencies)