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On Tuesday, April 14, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced that she has proposed legislation that would require strong default safety settings for social media users under the age of 18, in what the governor's office says is an attempt to establish online safety standards that prioritize the well-being of young users by default, rather than as an afterthought.
"It's been studied and the data is clear - but you don't need the data to know that these platforms are causing anxiety, depression, addiction and lowering self-esteem. The fact is these social media platforms have been designed to get kids addicted," said the governor in a press release.
"My proposal takes the power away from social media platforms and gives it back to parents and young people, while also forcing platforms to turn on technologies that will better protect the health and wellbeing of our kids," said Governor Healey.
“We have a youth mental health crisis in this country that is going to take a variety of tools and strategies to solve," said Education Secretary Stephen Zrike, noting his firsthand experience as an educator and parent of teenagers.
The governor described the proposed legislation as requiring social media platforms to:
- Give families the ability to reset algorithm-driven content feeds;
- Regularly remind young users of the time spent on the platform and the negative impacts that social media can have on social, emotional, and physical health; and
- Provide an easy way to flag harmful content.
The bill also proposes establishing automatic default safety settings for users under age 18, including:
- Turning off location tracking;
- Disabling notifications overnight and during school hours ;
- Limiting use to two hours per day; and
- Disabling addictive features like infinite scroll, auto-play, and algorithm-based feeds designed to keep young users watching.
For children aged 15 years or younger, these default settings would only be modifiable by a parent or guardian.
“For too long, these platforms have been designed to maximize the time our children spend online, with no regard for their mental health, sleep or focus in school,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This is about making sure parents have real choices and real power to protect their kids.”
The bill is supported by the Massachusetts Teachers Association. MTA President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy jointly stated, "These pragmatic guardrails introduced by the governor and members of the House will build on the bell-to-bell ban on cell phones and similar devices in schools that the state Senate passed earlier."
Jateja Spriggs, chair of the Governor's Youth Advisory Council, said, “Social media has shaped our generation during some of the most critical stages of our development. While it can foster connection and community, it can also expose young people to harm when left unregulated. We deserve platforms that prioritize our well-being and protect both us and our peers. Legislation like this gives me hope that we can stay connected while growing up in a safer, healthier digital environment.”
