New York’s attorney general proposed rules on Monday to crack down on what he called addictive social media streaming for children, including rules to verify a user’s age.
The Stop Addictive Feeds (Safe) for Kids Act, passed last year, would prohibit social media companies from showing algorithmically personalized feeds to users under the age of 18 unless they have parental consent. Instead, feeds on apps like TikTok and Instagram would be limited to posts from accounts that follow young users.
The law also prohibits companies from sending notifications to users under 18 between midnight and 6 a.m.
The proposed implementing regulations include standards for determining user age and parental consent.
“Companies may verify a user’s age using a number of existing methods, as long as the methods are proven to be effective and protect user data,” said Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
There are at least 18 ways to verify a user, such as asking for an uploaded image or checking a user’s email address or phone number to verify other information, the office said.
Users under 18 who want to receive algorithmic feeds and nightly notifications will need to give companies permission to request parental consent.
Supporters of the law said that feeds created from user data are contributing to the youth mental health crisis by significantly increasing the hours young people spend on social media.
“Children and adolescents are struggling with high levels of anxiety and depression due to signs of addiction on social media platforms,” James said, releasing the regulations, which are subject to a 60-day public comment period.
Online age verification laws – on the rise in the US – have drawn opposition from groups that support digital privacy and free speech. More than 20 states have passed age verification laws, although many face legal challenges.
The New York Attorney General’s Office noted that Instagram and other social media platforms have implemented various forms of age verification in recent months.
“The incorporation of age verification methods into the infrastructure of social media platforms is a positive development that demonstrates the technical and financial feasibility of age verification methods on these platforms,” the office said. “Unfortunately, voluntary adoption of age verification methods has not achieved the level of protection for minors required by (safe) law.”
After the rules are finalized, social media companies will have 180 days to implement the rules.
