While Massachusetts lawmakers continue to work on social media restrictions for teenagers, Gov. Maura Healey is entering the chat with additional proposals that would require the platforms to significantly change the services available to kids. The governor said her proposals would “establish some of the most comprehensive protections in the nation.””We protect young people in a lot of different ways in government. We try to protect their health. We pledge to protect them from vaccines, from diseases. We try to protect their safety. We also have to protect them online,” Healey said. Healey’s social media proposals include: Deactivate features like infinite scroll and autoplay, which Healey called “addictive”Set a daily limit of two hours for social media useDisable location trackingBlock notifications during school and overnightRequire periodic reminders about social media’s impact on healthRequire parental consent to change default settings for users aged 15 or younger”This isn’t a ban, but it is a deactivation and a default to deactivate the things that we know are most addictive to kids on social media,” Healey said. The governor first announced that she intended to file social media legislation in January. Since then, the House passed what Democratic leaders in that body called the “nation’s most restrictive” legislation governing kids’ access to social media and a ban on cellphones at school.The cellphone ban had already passed the Senate in July, but the addition of the social media ban for kids under age 14 now requires the two branches of the Legislature to negotiate a reconciled version of the bill. Why is Healey submitting her proposals now?NewsCenter 5’s Sharman Sachetti asked the governor why she is presenting her proposals at this stage in the legislative process. The governor responded that she is “thrilled” with the current legislation but wanted to add “complementary” ideas to the debate.”The legislature discussed a ban, and it applied to students up to a certain age,” Healey said. “Ours is not a ban. It speaks to deactivating certain settings that particularly drive addiction.”Healey’s proposal will be included in a supplemental budget that her office will file on Tuesday afternoon.
While Massachusetts lawmakers continue to work on social media restrictions for teenagers, Gov. Maura Healey is entering the chat with additional proposals that would require the platforms to significantly change the services available to kids.
The governor said her proposals would “establish some of the most comprehensive protections in the nation.”
“We protect young people in a lot of different ways in government. We try to protect their health. We pledge to protect them from vaccines, from diseases. We try to protect their safety. We also have to protect them online,” Healey said.
Healey’s social media proposals include:
- Deactivate features like infinite scroll and autoplay, which Healey called “addictive”
- Set a daily limit of two hours for social media use
- Disable location tracking
- Block notifications during school and overnight
- Require periodic reminders about social media’s impact on health
- Require parental consent to change default settings for users aged 15 or younger
“This isn’t a ban, but it is a deactivation and a default to deactivate the things that we know are most addictive to kids on social media,” Healey said.
The governor first announced that she intended to file social media legislation in January. Since then, the House passed what Democratic leaders in that body called the “nation’s most restrictive” legislation governing kids’ access to social media and a ban on cellphones at school.
The cellphone ban had already passed the Senate in July, but the addition of the social media ban for kids under age 14 now requires the two branches of the Legislature to negotiate a reconciled version of the bill.
Why is Healey submitting her proposals now?
NewsCenter 5’s Sharman Sachetti asked the governor why she is presenting her proposals at this stage in the legislative process. The governor responded that she is “thrilled” with the current legislation but wanted to add “complementary” ideas to the debate.
“The legislature discussed a ban, and it applied to students up to a certain age,” Healey said. “Ours is not a ban. It speaks to deactivating certain settings that particularly drive addiction.”
Healey’s proposal will be included in a supplemental budget that her office will file on Tuesday afternoon.
