Governor Kathy Hochul of New York signed two laws aimed at safeguarding children from the perils of social media. The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act restricts social media companies from inundating children under 18 with “addictive” feeds and prohibits unsolicited notifications between 0.00-6.00 am without parental consent, with the state able to prosecute and impose fines for violations.
Additionally, the New York Child Data Protection Act mandates that websites and internet-connected hardware refrain from storing personal data of users under 18 unless authorized.
Hochul emphasized that these laws address mental health issues stemming from social media feeds, with New York leading the way in tackling this challenge and hoping for other states to follow suit.
The legislation stipulates that algorithm-based feeds, influenced by user interests, can have detrimental effects on children, leading to issues like depression, anxiety, self-harm, or suicide. The laws restrict the display of algorithm-driven feeds for children under 18 while allowing for chronological feeds. Age verification procedures will be determined by state prosecutors, varying according to the size of social media companies.
TLDR: Governor Kathy Hochul of New York signed laws protecting children from harmful social media content and data collection, setting a precedent for other states to follow.
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