Gov. Mikie Sherrill on Tuesday signed a package of three bills designed to protect New Jersey children online, hold social media companies accountable, and address the harmful and addictive effects of social media on young people.
Additionally, the Secretary of Higher Education announced a request for proposals to establish a Social Media Research Center at one of New Jersey’s four-year public institutions of higher education, with the goal of getting the Center up and running this fall.
The three bills signed today include:
The “New Jersey Kids Code Act,” which limits the data that companies can collect and retain from children, establishes safeguards around interactions between minors and adult users, requires platforms to set their default privacy settings for children to the highest level of privacy, and restricts platform features designed to keep young users constantly engaged.
The bill, A-4015/S-3413, also gives children and parents greater control over online experiences, including certain algorithmic recommendations and interactions, and provides mechanisms to report harmful experiences.
“As a mom of four, I have seen firsthand how social media platforms can affect our kids and how often parents are left to fight this battle alone,” Gov. Sherrill said. “With these new laws, we are putting real protections in place for children online, better supporting parents across our state, and making clear that technology companies have a responsibility to put kids’ safety ahead of profits.”
The second bill, A-4014/S-3411, establishes a Social Media Research Center at a four-year public institution of higher education in New Jersey. Building on a $500,000 investment in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, the Center will study the impacts of social media consumption and provide policymakers, families, educators, and communities with recommendations regarding addictive social media behaviors among children and minors.
The third bill, S-3412/A-4013, directs the Social Media Research Center to research the efficacy of warning labels and mandatory disclaimers to reduce addictive social media behaviors among children. Based upon that research, the Center is to issue a final report on its findings and policy recommendations within 18 months and support subsequent rulemaking by the state Department of Health to deter and reduce addictive social media behaviors among children.
