Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York, United States, signed into law this Friday (26/12) a law that requires social media platforms with infinite scrolling, autoplay and algorithmic feeds to display warnings about possible harm to young users. According to the government, these social networks carry out predatory practices that harm mental health.
Notice will be given upon first access to these media and periodically thereafter based on continued use. Users will not be able to ignore or ignore warnings.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our children from the potential harm caused by social media features that encourage excessive use,” the governor said.
She also explained that with the amount of information that can be shared online, it is necessary to prioritize mental health, to ensure transparency about potential risks.
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Justification
Hochul compared warnings on social media to warnings already considered normal, such as on cigarettes, which warn of the risk of cancer, or in films, which communicate the risk of flashing lights for users with photosensitive epilepsy.
To justify himself, the governor cited recent studies from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which found that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are twice as likely to develop anxiety and depression. Additionally, about half of the teens surveyed said social media makes them feel worse.
If platforms fail to comply with the law, the state attorney general can take legal action and seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, according to Al Jazeera. California and Minnesota already have laws similar to New York’s for young social media users.
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