![New York lawmakers are working to regulate what kids see on their social media feeds](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CLEAN-New-York-Governor-Kathy-Hochul-Attorney-General-Letitia-James_AP-Images_featuredImage_Wed-Jun-05-2024.jpg?w=1920)
New York lawmakers working to regulate kids’ social media feeds
Jun 5
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)
New York lawmakers said Tuesday, June 4, they’re working to finalize legislation that would allow parents to block their children from getting certain social media posts. New York’s Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act would prohibit algorithm-fed content without “verifiable parental consent.”
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 30%
Center 44%
Right 26%
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
+0
Click to close
Left
+0
Click to close
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on The Independent
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Associated Press News
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on abc News
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Sask Today
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Flin Flon Reminder
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Niagara Gazette
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
Click to close
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on KRDO
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on KIFI
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on KVIA
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free Press
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Washington Top News
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on WPLG
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on News 4 JAX
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on WKMG
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Click on Detroit
State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic talks new legislation regulating social media
Click to see story on NY1
Click to close
Hooray for Hochul: New York leads nation in protecting kids on social media
Click to see story on New York Post
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on National Post
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Financial Post
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on MY Northwest
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
25 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
25
Leaning Left
7
Center
10
Leaning Right
6
Last Updated
2 weeks ago
The legislation aims to protectt kids’ mental health and development by shielding them from features designed to keep them endlessly scrolling. Instead of having automated algorithms suggest content based on what a user has clicked on in the past, kids would see a chronological feed of content from users they already follow.
![QR code for SAN app download](https://san.com/wp-content/themes/straightarrow-2023/assets/images/app-download-block-qr-code.png)
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James have been advocating for the regulations since October.
The latest version removes provisions that would have limited the hours a child could spend on a site. With the legislative session ending the week of June 2, Albany lawmakers are making a final push pass the bill.
Critics of the bill say it could make things worse for children, leading to internet companies collecting more information about users.
Privacy advocacy group the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project released a statement saying, “Lawmakers are legislating a fairy tale. There simply is no technology that can prove New Yorkers’ age without undermining their privacy.”
In March, Utah revised its policies to require social media companies verify the ages of their users. However, it also removed the requirement that parents consent to their child creating an account. A state law in Arkansas that also would have required parental consent was put on hold last year by a federal judge.
NEW YORK LAWMAKERS SAID TUESDAY, JUNE 4, THEY’RE WORKING TO FINALIZE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ALLOW PARENTS TO BLOCK THEIR CHILDREN FROM GETTING CERTAIN SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. NEW YORK’S STOP ADDICTIVE FEEDS EXPLOITATION (SAFE) FOR KIDS ACT WOULD PROHIBIT ALGORITHM-FED CONTENT WITHOUT “VERIFIABLE PARENTAL CONSENT”.
THE LEGISLATION IS AIMED AT PROTECTING KIDS’ MENTAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT BY SHIELDING THEM FROM FEATURES DESIGNED TO KEEP THEM ENDLESSLY SCROLLING. INSTEAD OF HAVING AUTOMATED ALGORITHMS SUGGEST CONTENT BASED ON WHAT A USER HAS CLICKED ON IN THE PAST, KIDS WOULD SEE A CHRONOLOGICAL FEED OF CONTENT FROM USERS THEY ALREADY FOLLOW.
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL AND ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE REGULATIONS SINCE OCTOBER.
THE LATEST VERSION REMOVES PROVISIONS THAT WOULD HAVE LIMITED THE HOURS A CHILD COULD SPEND ON A SITE. WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDING THIS WEEK, ALBANY LAWMAKERS ARE MAKING A FINAL PUSH TO GET IT PASSED.
CRITICS OF THE BILL SAY IT COULD MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR CHILDREN, LEADING TO INTERNET COMPANIES COLLECTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT USERS.
THE LEGISLATION IN NEW YORK IS SIMILAR TO ACTIONS TAKEN BY OTHER STATES TO CURB SOCIAL MEDIA USE AMONG CHILDREN. IN FLORIDA, REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS RECENTLY SIGNED LEGISLATION BANNING SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 14 AND REQUIRING PARENTAL PERMISSION FOR 14- AND 15-YEAR-OLDS.
IN MARCH, UTAH REVISED ITS POLICIES TO REQUIRE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES VERIFY THE AGES OF THEIR USERS. HOWEVER, IT ALSO REMOVED THE REQUIREMENT THAT PARENTS CONSENT TO THEIR CHILD CREATING AN ACCOUNT. A STATE LAW IN ARKANSAS THAT ALSO WOULD HAVE REQUIRED PARENTAL CONSENT WAS PUT ON HOLD LAST YEAR BY A FEDERAL JUDGE.
Related
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 30%
Center 44%
Right 26%
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
+0
Click to close
Left
+0
Click to close
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on The Independent
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Associated Press News
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on abc News
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Sask Today
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Flin Flon Reminder
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Niagara Gazette
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
Click to close
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on KRDO
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on KIFI
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on KVIA
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free Press
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Washington Top News
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on WPLG
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on News 4 JAX
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on WKMG
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Click on Detroit
State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic talks new legislation regulating social media
Click to see story on NY1
Click to close
Hooray for Hochul: New York leads nation in protecting kids on social media
Click to see story on New York Post
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on National Post
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on Financial Post
New York considers regulating what children see in social media feeds
Click to see story on MY Northwest
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
25 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
25
Leaning Left
7
Center
10
Leaning Right
6
Last Updated
2 weeks ago
Unbiased news.
Directly to
your inbox.
Free!
MOST POPULAR
-
Reuters
COVID on the rise this summer, according to CDC wastewater data
Watch 1:42
15 hrs ago
-
Getty Images
'Take It Down Act' will make social media pull deepfake intimate images
Watch 2:55
16 hrs ago
-
AP Images
Study: Chemicals from East Palestine train crash spread to 16 states
Watch 1:31
17 hrs ago
-
Getty Images
YouTube algorithm shows right-wing, Christian recommendations more: Study
Watch 1:55
17 hrs ago