Social networks can be dangerous. Especially for the younger users, whose well-being is increasingly at risk. This is the opinion he pushed the state of New York to propose a new bill for protect mental health of web surfers with a few years under their belt. Known as Stop Addictive Feed Exploitation (SAFE) for Kidsthe bill has already won the full support of the state governor and attorney general.
In the crosshairs are apps that use algorithms and that, by monitoring user activity, they transform them into “prey”. Should the law be approved, minors will be able to use applications such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram only with parental permission.
Social networks are bad for younger users, the state of New York proposes a law to protect them
«Social platforms are fueling a national youth mental health crisis and harming the well-being and safety of children“, he has declared Letitia James, attorney general of the state of New York. «Young New Yorkers are struggling with record levels of anxiety and depression, and social media companies are largely to blame for using addictive features that cause minors to stay on their platforms longer. This law will help address the risks of social media affecting our children and protect their privacy».
The law would then require the “indicted” applications to add new parental control optionssuch as turning off notifications between midnight and six in the morning and blocking apps during the same time window.
We will probably vote at the beginning 2024but in the meantime TikTok and Meta have already “responded” to the accusations claiming that such a law would limit freedom of speech and would deprive younger users of the opportunity to be part of the online community.
