New York Lawmakers Pass Bill Requiring Warning Labels on Social Media
ALBANY, N.Y. — Under a bill currently awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature, Instagram, Facebook, and other “addictive” social media sites could be required to display warning labels on their sites.
The legislation, which received bipartisan and bicameral support, would require social media sites to display warning labels at the point of access. State-appointed mental health experts would assist with the wording of these warning labels.
Legislators believe the bill will hold tech companies accountable for content on their sites and help families understand the risks of allowing their children to use social media.
“By requiring clear warning labels, we’re giving families the tools to understand the risks and pushing tech companies to take responsibility for the impact of their design choices,” bill co-sponsor Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, D-Queens, said in a statement. “It’s time we prioritize mental health over engagement metrics.”
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that advocates for safe technology and media use for children believes the bill is critical.
“This critical social media safety bill, along with landmark kids’ online safety laws enacted last year and the upcoming implementation of a statewide bell-to-bell cell phone restriction in schools, further affirms New York’s leadership role in promoting effective kids’ online safety policy,” wrote Common Sense Media founder and CEO James P. Steyer.
Social media companies have expressed displeasure with warning labels and bills that limit social media usage, claiming they infringe on the company’s constitutionally protected right to free speech.
Some critics, including the Computer & Communications Industry Association, which represents Meta and Google, say the bill is performative, vague, and panic disguised as policy.
The industry association NetChoice opposes the bill and believes that the government is not taking the correct measures to protect mental health and is placing the blame in the wrong place.
“While we share the Legislature’s concern for youth mental health, this bill represents a fundamentally flawed approach that violates core constitutional principles while failing to address the underlying issues it purports to solve,” Amy Bos, NetChoice’s director of state and federal affairs, said in recent testimony.
“The proposed legislation constitutes an unprecedented expansion of government power that would compel private companies to espouse the state’s preferred messaging, a clear violation of the First Amendment’s protection against compelled speech.”
If Hochul signs the bill, New York would join other states — including Minnesota, Colorado and Texas — in using warning labels on social media sites.
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