It’s being described as another step toward making social media safer for our kids.
The bill signed into law by Governor Newsom last Friday will make it illegal for social media companies to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without the consent of parents.
The law also bans social media platforms from sending notifications to kids without permission from parents from midnight to 6 am and between 8am and 3pm, basic school hours, from September through May. And the law requires that children’s social media accounts be private by default.
This is not the first bill about social media and kids. In 2022, the governor signed into law a measure that bars social media companies from using personal information from users in a wat that could harm children.
The author of this new law, says the California Legislature has sent a clear message: When social media companies won’t act, it’s our responsibility to protect our kids.”
Ultimately, of course, it is up to parents to set limits on social media and to keep an eye on what their kids are doing. It’s not easy but it is necessary in this expanding digital world.
(Photo Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images