California governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Friday aimed at protecting minors from social media addiction amid growing concerns about the impact of technology on adolescents’ mental health. The law, which will go into effect in 2027, requires tech firms to make posts on feeds of minors’ social media accounts appear in chronological order as a default, rather than allowing algorithms to curate them to maximise engagement. It also prohibits companies from sending notifications to people younger than 18 during school hours and sleep hours. The default settings can be changed with parents’ consent. The move, targeting powerful tech interests in the US’ most populous state, is part of a nationwide effort to address concern over social media use among teens. New York put in place a similar law aimed at social media addiction this year.
