Key Takeaways
- A new California bill aims to force social media networks to put mental health warning messages on their platforms.
- The message would appear for new users to the platform, and would show up weekly for all users in California.
- This is part of a larger effort by federal and state authorities to reign in social media companies, including lawsuits against TikTok and Meta.
There are warning labels on cigarettes. Soon, social media sites may also have warning labels. California lawmakers are on the verge of introducing a new law that tackles social media’s impact on children.
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Assembly Bill 56 (AB 56) proposes a mandatory ‘black box warning’ on social media sites during a user’s first time on the platform. The message would appear for at least 90 seconds, and would reappear every week. The warning itself would alert users to the risks associated with excessive social media use and the impact on mental health.
This is part of a larger effort to reign in social media
Experts have warned about a worsening youth mental health crisis linked to social media. Studies have shown correlations between increased social media use and rising rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges in people everywhere, but particularly among teenagers.
AB 56 was introduced by Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta. Bonta criticized social media companies for prioritizing profits over user well-being.
“Social media companies have demonstrated an unwillingness to tackle the mental health crisis,” Bonta said in a press release. “Warning labels alone are not a panacea, but they are another tool to address this growing crisis and protect future generations.”
This isn’t the first time the idea of warning labels on social media sites has been floated. US Surgeon-General Dr. Vivek Murthy proposed the same idea back in October. 40 state attorneys general said they agreed with him. This bill, then, is part of a larger effort to reign in social media.
The road ahead for social media
The warning labels follow a wave of lawsuits against social media companies. Several states, including California, sued TikTok over claims its features harm children’s mental health. Meta is also being sued by dozens of states for designing features that exploit human psychology to increase engagement.
California’s AB 56 would be a first in the US, but it won’t be the last. Other states are sure to follow suit. The coming months could be tough for big tech companies and social media companies, in particular, as lawmakers begin to crack down.
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