New York’s SAFE for Kids Act Rules Target Addictive Social Media Algorithms

New York Attorney General Letitia James has finalized the implementation rules for the SAFE for Kids Act, which mandates significant changes to how social media platforms interact with users under 18. The regulations require companies to disable addictive algorithmic feeds and late-night push notifications by default for minors unless parental consent is granted. This regulatory move aims to mitigate the mental health risks associated with engagement-driven social media features and sets a new standard for state-level oversight of the technology sector.

The final rules for the SAFE for Kids Act, released by Attorney General Letitia James, establish specific compliance standards for social media companies operating in New York. Under the law, platforms must restrict algorithmically personalized content feeds for users under the age of 18 unless explicit parental consent is obtained. Instead of engagement-maximizing algorithms, minors will be served content in a set order, such as chronological, focusing on accounts they already follow. This shift aims to dismantle recommendation systems that state officials argue are designed to keep children on platforms for excessive periods.

Beyond content curation, the regulations address the issue of sleep disruption by prohibiting platforms from sending push notifications to minor users between midnight and 6 a.m. without parental permission. The law specifically targets 'Addictive Online Platforms,' which are defined as services that display user-generated content and have a user base that spends at least 20 percent of their time on addictive feeds. Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General James emphasized that these rules are intended to force technology companies to prioritize the mental health of children over their own business interests and engagement metrics.

The implementation of these rules follows research cited by the Attorney General’s Office linking curated feeds to increased risks of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders among teenagers. The new standards also detail how companies must verify a user's age and the process for obtaining valid parental consent. While the law restricts the delivery mechanism of content, state officials noted that minors will still have access to the same information on the platforms, just without the influence of recommendation algorithms. This regulatory framework, sponsored by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic, positions New York as a leader in state-level oversight of social media algorithms.