2024-09-21 06:18:02
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California will require social media platforms to ban social media platforms without parental consent starting in 2027 under a new law signed Friday by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. It is illegal to knowingly provide addictive content to minors.
California followed New York in passing a law this year that allows parents to block their children from receiving social media posts suggested by platform algorithms. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at restricting minors’ use of social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the world’s largest tech companies. Similar proposals have not been passed in recent years, but Newsom signed the first U.S. law in 2022 banning online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that may harm children. The move is part of ongoing efforts by states across the country to address the impact of social media on children’s well-being.
“Every parent knows the harm that social media addiction can do to children: isolation, stress and anxiety from human contact, and endless hours wasted late at night,” Newsom said in a statement. “With this bill, California is helping to protect children and teens from tools intentionally designed to facilitate these destructive habits.”
The law prohibits platforms from sending notifications to minors without parental permission between 00:00 to 06:00 and 8:00 to 15:00. Children usually attend school during this time, Monday to Friday, from September to May. The law also requires platforms to make children’s accounts private by default.
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