"Big Brother is Watching: New York Governor Signs Bills to Monitor and Control Kids’ Online Behavior"
In a move that’s been hailed as a victory for those concerned about the effects of social media on kids, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed two bills into law that aim to protect children and teenagers from the harms of online exploitation. But some critics are crying foul, claiming that these laws are an overreach of government power and will stifle innovation and free speech.
The first bill, the "Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act," requires social media companies to obtain parental consent before using "addictive feeds" powered by recommendation algorithms on kids and teens under 18. This is a direct attack on the free speech of online platforms, which will now be forced to censor content to meet the Governor’s standards.
The second bill, the "New York Child Data Protection Act," limits data collection on minors without consent and restricts the sale of such information. But it’s a vague and overbroad law that will likely be used to target marginalized communities and silence dissenting voices.
The bills have been met with resistance from tech industry lobbyists, who claim that they are unconstitutional and will stifle innovation and free speech. NetChoice, an industry association, has already called the SAFE for Kids Act "unconstitutional" and claimed that it will "increase children’s exposure to harmful content."
Adam Kovacevich, CEO of the Chamber of Progress, a center-left tech industry group, warned that the SAFE for Kids Act will "face a constitutional minefield" because it deals with what speech platforms can show users. "It’s a well-intentioned effort, but it’s aimed at the wrong target," he said. "Algorithmic curation makes teenagers’ feeds healthier, and banning algorithms is going to make social media worse for teens."
But Governor Hochul is undeterred, saying that she believes the bills are constitutional and that they are necessary to protect kids from the harms of online exploitation. "We’ve checked to make sure, we believe it’s constitutional," she told CBS News.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: these bills are just the beginning of a new era of government regulation and control over the internet. And it’s not just New York – other states are already following suit, with Florida and Maryland passing their own laws to restrict kids’ online behavior.
The question on everyone’s mind is: what’s next? Will the government continue to exert its control over the internet, or will the courts strike down these laws as an unconstitutional attack on free speech? Only time will tell.
