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New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act into law on Friday, requiring social media platforms to display warning labels about features that can harm young users’ mental health. The law targets what it calls “predatory features,” including algorithmic feeds, autoplay, infinite scroll, push notifications, and like counts.
The SAFE for Kids Act requires platforms to display these warnings prominently and prohibits hiding them in terms of service documents. The mental health commissioner will determine the exact content and frequency of the alerts. Companies that violate these requirements face $5,000 civil penalties per violation, Jurist reports.
Hochul compared the warning labels to those required on tobacco and alcohol products.
“New Yorkers deserve transparency,” she said in a statement. “With the amount of information that can be shared online, it is essential that we prioritize mental health and take the steps necessary to ensure that people are aware of any potential risks.”
The law claims that addictive feeds have caused young users to spend more time on social media, which increases the risks of suicide, depression, and anxiety. It follows New York’s Child Data Protection Act, which took effect in June, preventing websites and devices from collecting or selling data from users under 18.
New York is the third state (after California and Minnesota) to require social media platforms to alert users about addictive features. The Los Angeles Unified School District also bans cell phone use by students during school hours.
Australia also recently took an aggressive approach, banning social media entirely for users under 16, with platform owners facing fines up to $32 million for non-compliance.