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Should social media companies be required to display warning labels?
- Yes
- No
- Unsure
James was among a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general who sent a letter to Congress on Tuesday, Sept. 10, urging lawmakers to approve US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's request for warnings on sites like TikTok and Instagram about potential adverse mental health effects for minors.
Murthy made the request in June, citing new research showing that adolescents who spend more than three hours per day on social media face an increased risk for conditions like depression and anxiety.
“Young people across our country are struggling, and these addictive social media algorithms are only making this mental health crisis worse,” James said.
“New York has led the nation in our efforts to protect kids from online harm, but everyone needs to know the risk associated with these social media platforms.
She went on to call Murthy’s warning recommendation “a strong first step” in that direction.
The letter, signed by 42 attorneys general, asserted that such a warning would both highlight the risks of social media use and also complement ongoing efforts to spur research and investments in oversight of platforms.
“In light of social media platforms’ unwillingness to fix the problem on their own, the 42 attorneys general underscored the need for federal action to combat the growing mental health crisis,” James’ office said.
In June, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation meant to combat what lawmakers called “addictive” social media algorithms aimed at minors, the first such law in the country.
Under the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act, social media companies are required to display content chronologically for users under 18 unless they get parental consent allowing them to show content that is selected algorithmically instead.
Content that is algorithmically curated relies on a user’s behavior and past interactions – like comments, shares, and number or duration of views – to create a personalized, and thus more addictive, feed.
The legislation also bars social media platforms from sending app notifications to minors between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. without parental consent.
Hochul also signed a related bill, the New York Child Data Protection Act, that restricts websites from collecting or sharing the personal data of users under 18 without consent.
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