US governor signs law to limit children's social media risks

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a law limiting children's access to social media, aiming to address the addictive nature of these platforms. The new legislation, set to take effect, prohibits social media companies from offering addictive features to users under the age of 16. These features include infinite scrolling, algorithmic recommendations, and autoplay, which have been linked to negative impacts on children's behavior and social development.

While Australia implemented a similar ban in December, early reports suggest it has not been successful in deterring children from using social media. Newsom emphasized that the new law focuses on addressing the root causes of the problem, rather than simply banning underage users from accessing these platforms. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, had already agreed to implement a similar approach as part of a settlement with California and other US states over alleged violations of children's privacy and consumer protection laws.

Other states and the European Union are also considering similar regulations to protect young users from the potential harms of social media.