The state of New York recently introduced two child protection laws to address the damaging effects of social media on young users. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the “Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids” act and a Child Data Protection Act. The more controversial of the two is the Stop Addictive Feeds act, which aims to prohibit social media platforms from providing addictive feeds to children under 18 without parental consent. This includes algorithmically-defined news feeds that are designed to keep users engaged and online for longer periods.
If these regulations are enforced, social media platforms in New York would have to eliminate algorithmic news feeds for teen users and offer alternative, algorithm-free versions of their apps. Additionally, platforms would be restricted from sending notifications to minors between the hours of 12:00am and 6:00am. While these regulations are intended to protect teens from harmful social media impacts, they may face challenges in gaining full approval.
Although state-based actions like those in New York, Florida, Maryland, and Montana are attempting to address social media harms, there is a growing concern about the lack of overarching federal regulations. The absence of national guidelines on age verification processes, algorithmic amplification impacts on teens, and usage restrictions highlights the need for a cohesive national approach to social media regulation.
State legislators stepping in to protect constituents where federal policies fall short could create a complex landscape for social media platforms to navigate. While European Union policy groups have implemented comprehensive regulations on data usage and child protection, the fragmented approach in the US could lead to inconsistencies in regulation across states. This could ultimately hinder the ability of social media companies to comply with varying laws and requirements.
While Senate debates on more universal measures are ongoing, there is a sense of frustration among state governments, which are tasked with implementing their own measures to address social media harms. The responsibility for establishing clear and consistent regulations around social media should ideally fall to the federal government. Without cohesive national guidelines, states may continue to introduce conflicting laws that could impede effective regulation of social media platforms.
The current patchwork of state-based regulations on social media in the US highlights the need for a unified national approach to address the harms caused by online platforms. While individual states are making efforts to protect young users, a holistic federal framework is essential to ensure consistency and effectiveness in regulating social media. As the debate continues at both state and federal levels, finding common ground on issues like age verification, algorithmic amplification, and notifications is crucial to safeguarding the well-being of young individuals in the digital age.
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