Editorial: Social media companies refuse to safeguard kids. It’s up to lawmakers now
From state capitols to Washington, D.C., lawmakers are scrambling to come up with regulations that can protect kids from the potential harms of social media, since the platforms have been unwilling to adopt reasonable safeguards themselves.
In just the last few months, Florida passed a law banning children under age 14 from having a social media account, Iowa legislators backed a bill that would require children younger than 18 to get parental permission to set up and use a social media account, and Colorado legislators passed a bill that would require platforms to display pop-up warnings on kids’ accounts after an hour of use.
A dozen other states, including California, are considering or have passed laws that would force companies to design their platforms to be safer for kids. Changes could include stricter privacy settings, limiting data collection and targeted ads, and removing features that encourage kids to stay online longer, such as infinite scroll and autoplay, which automatically launches a new video when one ends. Congress is also working on bipartisan legislation with similar measures to require social media companies to enact safeguards to protect children.
This legislation is driven by a growing understanding that social media apps can be addictive and are dangerous to children’s mental health. The American Psychological Assn. urged again this month that policymakers require that tech companies reduce the risks embedded in the platforms.
