California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kagan have proposed a new bill, AB 56. It will require social media companies to add warning labels to their platforms to inform users about mental health risks.
Attorney General Bonta noted that as platforms use addictive features and harmful content to increase profits, consumers should be informed about the possible impact of these platforms on their mental health. Although the draft law does not yet specify details on the format or scope of such warning labels, it mentions the laws “On Protection against Cyberbullying” and “On Prevention of Online Violence” as examples. According to these laws, social networks are obliged to inform users about the functions of reporting cyberbullying or violent content.
This bill follows an open letter signed by 42 U.S. attorneys general in which they called on Congress to require the addition of warning labels similar to those used on tobacco products.
Discussions about the impact of social media on children have intensified since the publication of a report in 2023 on its impact on youth mental health. It noted that social media can pose a serious risk to the mental well-being of children and adolescents. In particular, it was found that those who spend more than three hours a day on social media are at twice the risk of mental health problems.
Warning labels, while not a solution to all problems, could be one step toward improving the situation. Another, larger-scale bill in Texas that required blocking harmful content for teens was repealed in 2024. But in California, the idea of warnings seems more achievable because of its legislative practice.
In addition to the impact on mental health, children online face other risks, such as mass surveillance. This is also a serious problem, according to the US Federal Trade Commission.
Source: Engadget