New social media law could change how kids in California use their phones forever
Children in California could see a major change to the way their phones work after a new law was proposed.
Under the bill, kids under the age of 16 would be prohibited from using social media features that are considered to be addictive, and would give parents the power to sue platforms if a minor is harmed.
Josh Lowenthal, a member of the California State Assembly, spoke to California Politics 360 about the proposal, where he said: “There’s really been a sea change that’s taking place over the last couple of years. And parents up and down the state, across the aisle from every geography, every religion, every background that you can think of, all want the same thing.
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“They want regulation. They want action. They’re worried about their kids. And I say that not just as a legislator but as a dad, I’m worried about my kids, and we really need to do something.”
Which social media features will be banned for kids?
Several features will be restricted for use on a kids’ account, including the likes of infinite scroll, notifications and auto-scroll.
Lowenthal claims that all of these features ‘cause addiction’, adding that we ‘need to call this for what it is… this is addiction’.
According to the politician, kids spend an average of five hours a day online, going on to warn: “They’re spending more time on social media than they are in school and stop and think about the oversight that we have at school.”
Lowenthal added: “We don’t even know what our kids are doing, what they’re not doing and so it’s time to level the playing field somewhat, and calling it addiction and addressing the addictive features that children are, you know, falling themselves into is important.”
Social media banned for kids in the UK
These new proposed restrictions could spell the start of more regulations into how kids access social media.
Across the pond, the UK is facing a blanket ban on social media use for all children under the age of 16.
Former British prime minister Keir Starmer described the move as giving kids ‘back their childhoods’.
It will mean that social media platforms will be required to verify the ages of its users to stop children from joining their sites, although it has not yet been confirmed how this will be implemented.
The ruling is expected to come into effect by Spring 2027.