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Platforms will be required to show young users “pop-ups” with warnings about harmful features, typically designed to extend usage time and keep them more engaged, and which expose them to potentially predatory behavior or commercial offers.
New York will follow the example of other North American states and Australia in taking the controversial measure to restrict the use of social networks by younger people.
However, a simple warning in the format of “pop-up” about potential mental health risks is unlikely to have much of an impact on teenagers and their compulsive browsing habits, says the .
The governor of New York, Kathy Hochulrecently signed a state law that intends to impose security restrictions to social media platforms.
Known as legislation S4505/A5346, the law will oblige Meta and other large companies in the sector to show younger users warnings about potentially harmful features.
The governor’s office compares this new warning system to those already in place in force in other sectors, such as tobaccoplastic packaging, foods with high sugar content, alcohol and even video games.
These products feature serious health risksincluding cancer, congenital malformations, epilepsy, among others. Federal authorities had previously proposed implementing warnings similar to tobacco warnings for social media, notes Techspot.
“Protect New Yorkers has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes safeguard our children of the potential dangers associated with social media features that encourage excessive use,” said the governor.
“New Yorkers have the right to transparency. With the amount of information shared online, it is essential to prioritize mental health and take measures to ensure people are aware of any risks”, explained Kathy Hochul.
The law intends address mental health risks associated with certain features offered by major social media platforms, which are designed to extend usage timekeep younger users engaged and expose them to potentially predatory behavior or commercial offers.
Although New York do not prohibit these featuresthe law requires that platforms display clear warnings about risks for users. Local authorities may also take legal action against companies, asking for fines of up to $5,000 for each infraction.
The governor’s office cited a recent study on social media and youth mental health, which found that teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media have twice the risk of anxiety and depression.
The study also reported that around half of teenagers consider that social networks negatively affect your body imagewith those who use these platforms the most having the worst global mental health rates.
Concerns surrounding the impact of social media on mental health have merited further attention. increasing attention from state authoritiesfederal and international.
Australia already has a share of younger teenagers, while North American states such as California and Minnesota adopted more restrictive laws.
Just a few weeks ago, New York also filed lawsuits against Meta, Google and other large digital platforms due to exploratory practices aimed at young people.
