The European Union has been looking into whether social media companies’ apps are overly addicting, particularly for minors.
The topic has recently resurfaced in the United States, thanks to the passage of the SAFE for Kids Act in New York. Yes, SAFE is an abbreviation for ‘Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation’, and that is exactly what the measure aims to do.
“This bill would prohibit social media platforms from providing an addictive feed to children younger than 18 without parental consent,” summarizes the bill. It additionally “prohibits social media platforms from withholding non-addictive feed products or services where that consent is not obtained” .
READ MORE: Supreme Court Addresses Social Media ‘Censorship’
According to NBC News, organizations that violate these new laws will have 30 days to amend their operations or risk fines of up to $5,000 per user under the age of 18.
The law has been passed by the New York State Assembly and Senate and will now be signed by Governor Kathy Hochul. That is undeniable: in a post on X (previously Twitter), she referred to it as “nation-leading legislation to combat addictive social media feeds and protect kids online”.
New York’s SAFE for Kids Act is not the only state-level law of its kind in the United States. In May, California’s Senate passed the Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act, which had very identical measures.
This is a headache for social media companies rather than the music industry. However, comprehending these types of legislative activities, as well as regulatory probes such as the EC’s formal procedures on TikTok, which were announced in February and also used the term ‘addiction’, is critical.
They will shape the next generation of social media apps, determining how artists’ posts (and music) are discovered and interacts with on these platforms.
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