Lawmakers want more social media regulation; here are the legal hurdles that could face

A California bill would hold social media companies legally responsible for addicting kids to their platforms. Tech lobbyists, digital rights advocates, and others say the proposal would run afoul of federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

by Grace Gedye, CalMatters May 4, 2023May 3, 2023

So many social media apps, so little time. (Image by Twin Design/Shutterstock, via The Conversation)

When Sophie Szew first downloaded Instagram at her 10th birthday party, she was exposed to a flurry of information that “promoted eating disorders,” she told California lawmakers. By 15, she said, she was following “every starvation regimen recommended” by Instagram’s “explore” page.

Szew, now 20, spoke in Sacramento at a Senate hearing in April in support of an expansive bill making its way through the Legislature. It would hold companies legally responsible for using algorithms and design features that addict young people.

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