Addictive' social media apps like YouTube, Instagram that keep children online targeted by NY
New York would restrict the way online platforms like Instagram and YouTube can collect and share children's personal information and let parents keep their kids from being bombarded by “addictive” feeds from accounts they don't follow, under legislation proposed Wednesday.
The bills offered by state leaders are aimed at protecting young people from features designed to keep them endlessly scrolling, endangering their mental health and development, Attorney General Letitia James said.
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“Young New Yorkers are struggling with record levels of anxiety and depression, and social media companies that use addictive features to keep minors on their platforms longer are largely to blame,” James said. “This legislation will help tackle the risks of social media affecting our children and protect their privacy.”
The regulations sought by James and Gov. Kathy Hochul, both Democrats, are similar to rules already in place in Europe, where violations could incur fines worth a percentage of revenue, which could run into the billions of dollars for wealthy tech companies.
One of the bills, the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, would would allow parents to opt their kids out of getting feeds curated by an algorithm. Instead it would have them get a chronological feed of content from users they already follow. Algorithms are the automated systems that social media platforms use to keep users engaged by suggesting content based on the groups, friends, topics and headlines a user has clicked on in the past.
Middle school teacher Kathleen Spence said some of her students come to class half asleep after spending nights immersed in the social media content teed up by their smartphones.
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