by Colin Kirkland
Source: www.mediapost.com, June 2024
New York is planning to restrict social media platforms from using algorithms to dictate content that teen users see on their feeds without parental consent, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The report suggests that lawmakers in New York have reached a “tentative agreement” on the bill introduced last year by state officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul, which requires parental consent for algorithmic feeds.
The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act would not only make parental permission necessary for teen social media users to view algorithmic feeds, but would also restrict teens from seeing in-app notification overnight without parental consent.
The SAFE act follows a recent history of concern around kids’ safety online, as more social media platforms become the focus of scrutiny over the technology’s inherent addictiveness, spurring a mental health crisis, not to mention potential dangers surrounding online predators.
In February, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that his administration filed a lawsuit against social media companies, including Meta Platforms, which owns Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Threads.
If the SAFE act becomes law, New York would follow other states that have restricted social media access to younger users via age verification requirements, including Utah, which passed a law last year requiring parental consent to use social networking apps.
In addition, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a law that prohibits social media platforms from allowing anyone under 14 to create or maintain accounts, and lawmakers in California are also proposing limitations on teens’ access to algorithmic feeds.
The SAFE act is still being finalized but is expected to be voted on this week.
