Key Takeaways:
- Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes legislation to increase social media and artificial intelligence protections for children
- The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to default to the highest privacy settings for users under 18
- The legislation would also limit youth interactions with artificial intelligence companions and require age verifications for online games
- Hochul calls for investing in peer-to-peer mental health training for teens to help them identify signs of distress and encourage them to reach out to adults
- The proposals are part of the Democrat’s legislative agenda for 2026 and aim to address the ongoing national emergency in child and adolescent mental health
Introduction to the Proposal
Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced a proposal to increase social media and artificial intelligence protections for children in New York. The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to automatically default to the highest privacy settings for anyone under the age of 18, turning off open chat functions to prevent strangers from messaging minors and disabling location sharing. As Hochul stated, "I will not rest until I know our students are safe, healthy and happy, because we still have lurking in the shadows of the internet, these predators, these criminals." This proposal is part of a broader effort to address the ongoing national emergency in child and adolescent mental health.
Details of the Proposal
The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to have the highest privacy settings as a default for children, so strangers can’t view their profiles, tag or message. Children under 13 would need parental approval for new connections. Additionally, the proposal would require certain artificial intelligence chatbot features to be disabled for kids on social media platforms. As Hochul noted, "Today we are continuing to break new ground to give our kids the tools and safeguards they need to contend with the unprecedented mental health challenges and real world dangers that can sometimes be a byproduct of navigating today’s digital world." The legislation would also require age verifications, including for online games, and allow parents to set limits on children’s financial transactions.
Mental Health Training for Teens
Hochul also called for expanding a pilot program that provides mental health training for sophomores in high school, allowing them to help their friends, identify signs of distress and encourage them to reach out to adults. This program is a crucial component of the proposal, as it recognizes the importance of peer-to-peer support in addressing mental health challenges. By providing teens with the tools and training they need to support their peers, Hochul hopes to create a safer and more supportive online environment for all users.
Reaction to the Proposal
The proposal has been met with support from advocacy groups, including Mothers Against Media Addiction. Julie Scelfo, the executive director of the organization, stated, "These common-sense proposals by Gov. Hochul will better safeguard New York’s youth from the harms of addictive and manipulative tech, and help put an end to the ongoing national emergency in child and adolescent mental health." This support highlights the importance of addressing the mental health challenges faced by children and adolescents in the digital age.
Background and Context
The proposal is part of the Democrat’s legislative agenda for 2026 and comes as Hochul and the 213 members of the State Legislature are up for election in November. Hochul is slated to give her full agenda on Jan. 13 in her State of the State address, with details on how she plans to pay for it released a week later in her budget proposal. This proposal builds on previous legislation passed last year, which restricted social media platforms and artificial intelligence and increased safeguards for youth users. The previous laws banned social media platforms from offering addictive, algorithm-based social media feeds to promote content to those under the age of 18 without parental consent, restricted sites from collecting, using and sharing minors’ personal data, and required social media platforms to display labels warning of the potential for negative mental health impacts for youth users.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to increase social media and artificial intelligence protections for children is a crucial step in addressing the ongoing national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to default to the highest privacy settings for users under 18, limit youth interactions with artificial intelligence companions, and require age verifications for online games. By investing in peer-to-peer mental health training for teens and providing them with the tools and training they need to support their peers, Hochul hopes to create a safer and more supportive online environment for all users. As the proposal moves forward, it is essential to consider the potential impact on children and adolescents and to ensure that the legislation is effective in addressing the mental health challenges they face.
https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/hochul-social-media-izemikah