This week, New York lawmakers announced a deal on legislation that would regulate and censor social media for kids and teens, with a vote on the bill expected by the end of the week. Despite amendments, the legislation will still restrict teen access to valuable online resources and safe, inclusive community spaces. The legislation also runs afoul of the First Amendment by limiting teen access to speech and by interfering with platforms’ content curation decisions.

“New York lawmakers just put a fresh coat of paint on a rotten bill,” said Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich. “Algorithms actually make online platforms better for teens, by boosting healthy content over hate, harm, and misinformation. This bill’s unconstitutional limits are going to have a hard time surviving a court challenge.”

Jess Miers, Senior Counsel at Chamber of Progress, also published a new analysis explaining how the revised version of the bill is likely still unconstitutional. Read her analysis: New York’s Revised “SAFE for Kids Act” Still Faces a Legal Minefield.

A new survey conducted by Common Sense Media found teenagers overwhelming

valued algorithmically-curated feeds in their social media services. Seventy-six percent of social media users aged 14 to 22 used tools to control content they did not want to see in their feeds. Chamber of Progress wrote to Governor Hochul highlighting that the legislation would eliminate teenagers’ ability to curate their feeds.

For more on the harmful impacts of New York’s digital legislation, visit StopNYDigitalBills.com.

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Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a center-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology’s progressive future.  We work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological leaps, and that the tech industry operates responsibly and fairly.  

Our corporate partners do not have a vote on or veto over our positions. We do not speak for individual partner companies and remain true to our stated principles even when our partners disagree.