Politicians Attempt To Make Social Media Less Addictive

Photo byGeorgia de LotzonUnsplash

New York recently passed a regulation on "addictive" social feeds for kids.

Kathy Hochul, New York Governor, spoke at a press conference to discuss the signing of 2 state laws made to protect those under 18 years of age from the harm of the online space.

According to Hochul, these apps transform happy-go-lucky children into depressed teens. She added that the legislation that she signed off on aimed to help this situation. She said, ‘Today, we save our kids.’ Hochul adds that the youth nationwide are faced with a mental health crisis that is fuelled by addictive feeds in social media.

Beginning in the year 2025, those laws would force apps, that include Instagram and TikTok to send some kids back to the infancy of social media, before the content was customized by participants' "likes" and technology giants gathered information on our habits, moods, and interests. 

The SAFE (Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation) for Kids Act will require app stores and social media platforms to obtain parental consent before someone under the age of 18 uses apps that have "addictive feeds", a major attempt to regulate algorithmic suggestions. The act will also prevent these apps from sending alerts to teenagers or children between 12am and 6am and require improved age verification in order to avoid kids slipping through undetected. The NY Child Data Protection Act, the second law, will limit the data that app providers gather about users.

Hochul explains that by protecting kids' personal information and reining in addictive social media feeds, it will offer a safer digital space, provide parents better peace of mind, as well as make a brighter future for youth around New York.

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