Social media platforms that use features designed to keep users scrolling will soon be required to display warning labels for young users under a new state law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul.
The legislation, S4505/A5346, requires social media companies that offer addictive features such as infinite scroll, autoplay or algorithm-driven feeds to post warning labels alerting young users to potential mental health risks. Hochul negotiated a chapter amendment to the bill before signing it into law, calling the measure part of a broader effort to address the youth mental health crisis in New York.
“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.
The law requires warning labels to appear when a young user first accesses a covered feature and periodically afterward. Users will not be able to skip or click past the warnings.
State officials cited research showing that adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of anxiety and depression. Studies also show about half of adolescents say social media makes them feel worse about their bodies, and teens with the highest levels of use are nearly twice as likely to rate their mental health as poor or very poor.
Supporters say the approach mirrors warning labels already required on products such as tobacco, alcohol, certain foods and video games, which are designed to communicate health or safety risks to consumers.
Assemblymember Nily Rozic, a sponsor of the legislation, said the law is intended to give families clearer information about how social media platforms can affect mental health.
“By requiring warning labels based on the latest medical research, this law puts public health first and helps create a safer digital environment for kids,” Rozic said.
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