NY Governor Signs Social Media Warning Law for Youth

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law this week requiring social media platforms to display warning labels about the potential mental health risks to young users from features designed to encourage excessive engagement, such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and algorithmic feeds.

The legislation, passed by state lawmakers in June, targets platforms that incorporate these elements as a significant part of their services. Warnings must appear when a young user first encounters such a feature and at regular intervals afterward, with no option to bypass them. Exceptions may apply if the state attorney general determines the features serve a purpose unrelated to prolonging user time on the platform. The law applies to activities occurring partly or wholly within New York but does not extend to users accessing the platforms from outside the state.

"Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use," Hochul said in a statement. She likened the required labels to health warnings on tobacco products, which highlight cancer risks, or on...