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New York Enacts Law Warning Minors on Harmful Social Media Features

12/26/2025

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Summary

Story summary

New York's new law requires social media platforms to display warnings about features that may harm minors' mental health.
Governor Kathy Hochul said the measure aims to protect minors from excessive use and compared the warnings to those on tobacco products.
The law targets features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay and imposes fines up to $5,000 for violations, aligning New York with California and Minnesota amid global concerns.

History

Historical Context

The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, signed by President Obama on June 22, 2009, empowered the FDA to regulate tobacco products, aiming to reduce youth smoking rates, which were 20% that year. This law introduced stringent marketing restrictions and warning labels, reflecting a growing trend in public health legislation to protect minors from harmful substances, paralleling New York's recent social media regulations.

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Story summary

New York's new law requires social media platforms to display warnings about features that may harm minors' mental health.
Governor Kathy Hochul said the measure aims to protect minors from excessive use and compared the warnings to those on tobacco products.
The law targets features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay and imposes fines up to $5,000 for violations, aligning New York with California and Minnesota amid global concerns.

1 / 2