A California bill that regulates social media feeds for minors has been signed into law. SB976, as the statute is known, will introduce protections for underage users on platforms like TikTok.
SB976 contains multiple components that will work together to ameliorate the addictive qualities of social apps and their recommendation algorithms. Once the law goes into effect, social media apps would be barred from sending notifications to California minors during school hours (8 Am to 3 Pm on weekdays). To cut down on mindless late-night scrolling, a similar embargo will be in place between the hours of midnight and 6 Am.
The law also limits kids’ and teens’ exposure to algorithmic recommendations by requiring platforms to provide underage users with a depersonalized experience (e.g. a feed in chronological order). In the case of both the notification curfews and the new feeds, parents will have the authority to opt out on behalf of their children.
