California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law on Friday aimed at curbing social media addiction among minors. The Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act prohibits social media companies from “knowingly providing an addictive feed to a minor without parental consent,” according to a press release from the governor’s office.
The law also restricts online platforms from sending notifications to minors during school hours and after midnight in an effort to minimize distractions and sleep disruptions.
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“Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children – isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night. With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits. I thank Senator Skinner for advancing this important legislation that puts children’s well-being first,” said Newsom.
The legislation defines “addictive feed” as content “recommended, selected, or prioritized for display to a user based on information provided by the user, or otherwise associated with the user or the user’s device.” Additionally, social media platforms must annually report the number of minors using their service and how many have obtained verifiable parental consent.
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“As a mother, I’m proud of California’s continued leadership in holding technology companies accountable for their products and ensuring those products are not harmful to children. Thank you to the Governor and Senator Skinner for taking a critical step in protecting children and ensuring their safety is prioritized over companies’ profits,” said Newsom’s wife, “First Partner” Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
California joins a growing number of states taking steps to protect minors from the potential dangers of social media. Utah passed a law in March 2023 requiring parental consent for minors to access social media platforms, and Florida followed suit in March 2024 with legislation banning children under 14 from social media without parental approval.
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