In her third State of the Commonwealth Address, Gov. Maura Healey announced that she will soon file legislation proposing strict new social media requirements applicable to children under 18 years old, such as mandatory age verification systems, required parental consent, and disabling addictive features like continuous scrolling and notifications between certain hours. Social media companies that violate these restrictions will face steep fines.
As a parent of middle school students, Healey knows the importance of balancing independence with safety.
“Something we all worry about is social media. Look, scrolling TikTok or Instagram, it’s fun! But there’s a time and a place. And especially for our kids, it’s driving so much anxiety and impacting their self-esteem,” Healey said. “These platforms are built with addictive algorithms, and they exploit insecurities, especially in our young people. So I am proposing strict new requirements to protect kids and teens on social media. We will require parental consent and age verification on all of these platforms. We’re going to prevent social media companies from targeting kids for profit. Parents are trying to protect their kids, and we’re going to help them do it.”
Currently, Massachusetts does not have significant social media protections for minors. The Governor’s legislation will closely align with standards recommended by Attorney General Andrea Campbell. It’s expected to be filed in the coming weeks.
