Amid the debate about cell phone use and the effects of algorithmic broadcasts on the mental health of minors, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul made a clear decision: ban cell phones. These are the consequences of this and how it will affect minors’ use of technology.

TRUSTWORTHY. These are abbreviations for the Stop Child Addictive Bait Abuse Act, the law that concerns us today. This law prohibits social platforms (like TikTok or Instagram, though not explicitly stated) from providing “addictive feeds” to minors without parental consent. The easiest way to look at this is that a parent must give TikTok permission for their child to use the “For You” feature.

What is “addictive bait”? According to the law, “a website, online service, online application or mobile application, or part thereof, that contains multiple multimedia elements created or shared by users of a website, online service, online application or mobile application” or simultaneously or sequentially to be displayed entirely to the user. There are some exceptions, but this is the basic definition.

In this sense, the law itself would require platforms to use commercially reasonable methods to verify the age of users and, interestingly, would also prohibit these platforms from sending notifications between midnight and six in the morning. Again, parents will have the opportunity to allow this if they wish.

Aim? As reported in The Verge, supporters of this law, both Republicans and Democrats, assure that the law is to “protect the mental health of children against sources of addiction using social media platforms and sleep disorders resulting from overnight internet use.” social media. The law will go into effect in 180 days and anticipated fines will be $5,000 per violation.

Not without opposition. NetChoice, an industry organization representing organizations such as Google, Netflix, Etsy, Pinterest or AirBnB, issued a statement arguing that this law is “unconstitutional” because it “attacks freedom of expression and the openness of the Internet” and would “increase the openness of the Internet.” Children are exposed to harmful content by forcing websites to order content chronologically and prioritizing recent posts on sensitive topics.”

New York is not the first. In fact, it is the last state to join these initiatives, which emerged in the absence of a proposal at the federal level. The law, called KOSA (Children’s Online Safety Act), is on the table but still has a way to go. Last March, Florida passed a law requiring parental consent for children under 16 to create profiles on the social network; And Maryland in May passed the Maryland Juvenile Act, a law that bans the use of functions designed to keep minors on social platforms.

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