New York Implements Warning Labels for Youth on Social Media Platforms

Based on a bill signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, New York is taking steps to protect young users from potentially addictive social media features. The legislation, known as S4505/A5346, was passed in June and mandates that social media platforms display warning labels to minors before they access features such as autoplay, infinite scrolling, and push notifications.

The law defines "addictive social media platforms" as those offering services that include a highly engaging feed, autoplay, push notifications, like counts, and infinite scroll—unless the attorney general determines these features serve a valid purpose unrelated to increasing user engagement.

Under these new rules, warnings will appear both when a young user first encounters the feature and periodically thereafter, with an irreversible display that cannot be bypassed. The goal is to inform minors about the potential mental health risks associated with prolonged social media use. Hochul’s office compared these warnings to those on products like tobacco and alcohol, emphasizing public health.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” Hochul stated.

Assemblymember Nily Rozic, a bill sponsor, emphasized the importance of transparency: “New York families deserve honesty about how social media platforms impact mental health. By requiring warning labels based on the latest medical research, this law puts public health first and finally gives us the tools we need to make informed decisions.”

This initiative follows earlier legislation requiring parental consent for children’s access to certain social media features and data protections for users under 18. Additionally, Hochul recently signed the RAISE Act, aimed at regulating artificial intelligence safety.

Similar efforts are underway in California, which has proposed comparable legislation. Tech industry conferences, such as the upcoming TechCrunch event in San Francisco from October 13-15, 2026, continue to address regulation and safety in the evolving tech landscape.

Contacting the Author

Anthony Ha, TechCrunch’s weekend editor, reports on these developments. He can be reached at anthony.ha@techcrunch.com.