New York will mandate that social media sites provide mental health alerts

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Friday that a new law will require social media companies that have algorithmic feeds, auto-play, and infinite scrolling to post warning labels about the potential harm they may cause to the mental health of their young users.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” Hochul stated in a press release.

Australia banned youngsters under the age of sixteen from using social media this month. New York joins states with comparable social media restrictions, such as Minnesota and California.

Platforms that provide “addictive feeds,” auto play, or unlimited scroll are covered by the New York statute. The statute covers behavior that takes place entirely or partially in New York, but not when individuals who are physically located outside of the state access the platform.

It permits the state’s attorney general to file a lawsuit and demand civil penalties of up to $5,000 for each infraction.

Hochul likened the labels on social media to those on other items, such as tobacco, which convey the risk of cancer, or plastic packaging, which alerts young children to the possibility of suffocation.

Requests for comment were not immediately answered by representatives for TikTok, Snap, opens new tab, Meta, opens new tab, and Alphabet.

With U.S. school districts suing Meta Platforms and other social media corporations, the impact of social media on children’s mental health has become a significant global concern.

The U.S. surgeon general recommended for social media warning labels similar to the one now mandated in New York and offered an advise on safety for children in 2023.