New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a bill that requires social media platforms to display warning labels to younger users before exposing them to features like autoplay and infinite scrolling. The bill, officially known as S4505/A5346, defines ‘addictive social media platforms’ as those offering features such as push notifications, autoplay, infinite scroll, and like counts as a significant part of their services. However, exceptions may apply if these features serve a valid purpose unrelated to prolonging platform usage.
Under this new law, platforms must exhibit warnings to young users when they first engage with the identified ‘predatory features’ and periodically thereafter, with no option to bypass the alerts. Governor Hochul emphasized the importance of safeguarding children from potential social media harms that could encourage excessive usage.
Assemblymember Nily Rozic, a sponsor of the bill, highlighted the necessity for transparency regarding the mental health impacts of social media platforms. By requiring warning labels based on recent medical research, this legislation prioritizes public health and provides essential information for making informed decisions.
Source: TechCrunch
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