NY targets how TikTok, Instagram and other apps ‘prey’ on kids with bill cracking down on algorithmsBy Haley Brown and Priscilla DeGregory
Published Oct. 11, 2023
Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York lawmakers are trying to limit kids in the Empire State from being exposed to the “addictive” features of TikTok and other social sites without parental permission.
The new legislation is meant to protect kids from targeted algorithms on social media sites, which try to keep users engaged for as long possible by offering up an endless stream of extreme and sometimes violent content, Hochul announced alongside New York Attorney General Letitia James and other pols.
The laws would require parental permission for kids to access parts of apps such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube that are controlled by an algorithm. It would be the responsibility of the tech companies to come up with software to do this — but if they fail to comply, the AG would step in with a new, dedicated “internet” unit to issue fines and force compliance, the pols said.
“These kids are still experiencing the negative effects on their mental health driven by social media and the algorithms that bombard them incessantly that are ultimately intended to create an addiction,” Hochul said.
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Source:
https://nypost.com/2023/10/11/ny-pols-want-to-curb-addictive-features-for-kids-on-social-media/
