California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, on Friday signed into law a bill banning “additive” social media content for minors.
The Protecting Children from Social Media Addiction Act would prohibit social media companies from “knowingly providing addictive feeds to minors without parental consent.” According to According to a press release from the Governor's Office: Law It also prohibits online platforms from issuing notices to minors during school hours and after midnight.
“Every parent knows the harm that social media addiction can cause to their children: isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and late nights spent waiting for their turn,” Governor Newsom said in a statement. “With this bill, California is helping protect children and teens from features that are intentionally designed to reinforce these destructive habits. I thank Senator Skinner for pushing this important bill that puts children's well-being first.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom speaks to reporters in the Pennsylvania Convention Center media center before the first presidential debate between Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 10, 2024. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
The law defines an “addictive feed” as “content that is recommended, selected, or prioritized for display to a user based on information provided by the user, or information related to the user or the user's device.” Online platforms are also required to annually report the number of minors using their platforms and provide the number who have verifiable parental consent. (Related: 'Potentially devastating': Parents sue Gavin Newsom over new law that would allow schools to secretly allow kids to transition)
Many states have taken steps to protect minors from the potentially harmful effects of social media, with Utah paving the way with a law in March 2023 that will prohibit minors from using social media without parental consent. Florida will enact a similar law in March 2024, banning children under the age of 14 from using social media platforms without parental consent.
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