Social media platforms with infinite scrolling, auto-play and algorithm-driven content will be required to display warning labels about the potential harm they can cause to the mental health of young users, under a new law, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Friday.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since the day I took office, and that includes protecting our children from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” Hochul said in a statement.
This month, Australia imposed a social media ban on children under the age of 16. New York joins states like California and Minnesota, which have similar social media laws.
New York law includes platforms that offer “addictive feeds,” autoplay, or endless scrolling, according to the legislation. The law applies to activities that occur partially or entirely in New York, but not when the platform is used by users who are physically located outside the state.
It allows the state attorney general to take legal action and seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 for any violation of the law.
Hochul compared social media warning labels to warnings on other products, such as tobacco, which communicates the risk of cancer, or plastic packaging, which warns of the risk of choking for young children.
Representatives for TikTok, Snap (SNAP.N), Meta (META.O) and Alphabet (GOOGL.O) did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The impact of social media on children's mental health has become a growing global concern, with school districts in the US suing Meta Platforms and other social media companies.
In 2023, the US surgeon general issued an advisory on protective measures for children and later called for warning labels on social media, like the one now required in New York./Reuters
