Can a law make social media less 'addictive'? Politicians are about to find out

New York has recently passed a groundbreaking law aimed at making social media less addictive for children. Governor Kathy Hochul has been vocal about her concerns regarding the impact of social media on young people. She believes that social media platforms are responsible for turning happy children into depressed teenagers. According to Hochul, the new legislation will help address this issue. Starting in 2025, apps like TikTok and Instagram will be required to obtain parental consent before allowing children under 18 to use their services. Additionally, the law will prevent these apps from sending notifications to young users between midnight and 6am, effectively imposing a digital curfew. Another significant aspect of the law is the limitation on the amount of personal information that app providers can collect from their users. Hochul explained that these measures are intended to create a safer digital environment for children, provide parents with peace of mind, and ensure a brighter future for young people in New York. While social media is often blamed for the mental health crisis among children, the reality is more complex. Some studies have shown that social media can have negative effects on mental health, while others have found positive impacts. For instance, many young people report that social media helps them feel more accepted and connected to their friends. There is also ongoing debate about whether social media addiction is a genuine problem. Some experts argue that the new laws will be difficult to enforce and may not effectively address the underlying issues. They also express concerns that the legislation could hinder efforts to tackle other significant problems, such as privacy violations, hate speech, and cyberbullying. Despite these challenges, the new laws in New York are part of a broader movement to make social media safer for children. Some experts believe that more comprehensive measures are needed to ensure that big tech companies take meaningful action. They view the new legislation as a positive step but caution that it may not be sufficient on its own. The response to the new laws has been mixed. Some experts in online safety have welcomed the legislation, praising it for not outright banning minors from using social media. They argue that such a ban could lead to digital literacy issues and leave children unprepared for the future. Instead, the new laws place the responsibility on social media platforms to make changes. However, industry representatives have expressed concerns about the potential unintended consequences of the legislation. They warn that removing the ability to curate feeds could expose children to harmful content and raise privacy issues. Despite these concerns, some experts believe that a unified, evidence-based approach to social media regulation would be more effective. They argue that a single, well-developed federal policy would be preferable to a patchwork of state-level regulations. This approach could also serve as a global standard, ensuring that social media platforms are held accountable worldwide. In the meantime, individual states like New York are pushing forward with their efforts to protect children from the potential harms of social media. The debate over the best way to regulate social media is far from over, and it is clear that this issue will continue to evolve in the coming years.