Common Sense Media Urges Hochul and Legislature to Protect Teens from Addictive Algorithms & Data Collection

ALBANY, NY, March 12, 2024 -- Today, the Senate and Assembly released their One House budget proposals and failed to include the SAFE for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act: legislation from Governor Hochul's Executive budget proposal that aims to protect children from harmful, addictive algorithms and data collection on social media. In response, Common Sense Media issued the following statement:

"When you've hired a dozen lobbyists and spent well over half a million dollars opposing legislation, you expect to get your money's worth. But ordinary tax paying parents and teachers have expectations too - that their lawmakers protect their children online," said Danny Weiss, Chief Advocacy Officer for Common Sense Media. "Common Sense Media, with 20 years of experience as the leading voice for a healthier digital world for kids and families, is looking to Albany too. We strongly support the SAFE For Kids Act and the Child Data Protection Act, and expect New York's leaders to do the right thing by ensuring these bills become law this year. We know too much about online harms to kids to look the other way."

"The NYSPCC and parents nationwide agree that legislative intervention is critical to keeping minors safe online, and holding technology companies accountable for the digital exploitation of society's most vulnerable – our children," said Muna Heaven, Interim Executive Director of the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC). "The NYSPCC, as the nation's first child protection agency, wrestles with the negative effects of social media on youth and implores Albany to stand up and help shield the children of New York State from online harm through the passage of the SAFE For Kids Act and the Child Data Protection Act. We cannot opt out of child protection – neither off, nor online."

"The average American teen will spend a staggering 30 years behind a screen; they're not going anywhere. We need a seatbelt for the digital world, and the first step begins with targeting one of its most harmful features: the algorithm," said Larissa May, Founder of #HalfTheStory.

BACKGROUND:

New York lawmakers, advocates, and concerned parents alike are advocating to include the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act (SAFE) and the New York Child Data Protection Act as part of the final New York State Budget. Both sponsored by Senator Gounardes and Assemblymember Rozic, and backed by Governor Hochul and Attorney General James, these bills would create critical protections for children and young adults online by restricting the collection of their personal data and prohibiting the use of addictive algorithms. While both bills are included in the Executive's Budget Proposal, the Assembly and Senate One House Budgets failed to include them, which would prevent Big Tech from collecting data from minors, and purposely using addictive algorithms to keep minors doom scrolling on their platforms.

Studies proving the causal connection between prolonged social media use and declining youth mental health are endless. According to recent research, youth who spend more than three hours a day on social media (the average for overall Internet use is almost nine hours a day, not including time for homework) double their risk for depression and anxiety. But according to a recent study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok collectively generated just short of $11 billion in ad revenue from users under 18 during 2022. The study underscores the significant financial incentive social media platforms have to keep teens online for long periods of time. Despite endless studies showing the increased rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm among children and teens online, social media companies like Meta have only invested in tools to keep them online for longer.

About Common Sense

Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org.