Parents voice support
State Assemblywoman Andrea Katz, D-Atlantic, a mother of three, was a prime sponsor of the legislation. She said social media companies use software that keeps kids scrolling but doesn’t keep them safe.
“Nearly half of teenagers say they lose sleep every single night because they feel stuck on these platforms, sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture,” she said. “Parents should not have to compete with multi-million-dollar algorithms just to protect their own children.”
Another prime sponsor of the legislation, state Sen. Raj Mukherji, D-Hudson, is a father of two. He said the measures answer the alarm bells from pediatricians and mental health professionals.
“It’s essential that online platforms limit the use of manipulative design practices or dark patterns and adapt their services in a way that protects children and their privacy, not harms them or keeps them continuously scrolling,” he said in a statement.
Julie Scelfo, founder and executive director of Mothers Against Media Addiction, or MAMA, an organization made up of parents and allies fighting back against media addiction, praised the bill’s signing.
“These landmark pieces of legislation are critical steps to make the digital world safer for New Jersey kids,” she said in a statement. “They will protect children’s health and safety, while also holding tech companies accountable when their product designs cause harm to our kids.”
State Health Commissioner Dr. Raynard Washington said protecting kids from platforms that encourage addictive patterns of use and expose them to harmful content, and create serious online safety concerns like bullying, is important.
“Social media is engrained in the everyday lives of youth today,” Washington said in a statement. “We have a responsibility to address the health and safety risks that come with it.”
“New Jersey is putting real protections in place for our kids online,” Sherrill said. “We’re giving parents real backup so they’re not fighting this battle alone. Accountability starts now.”
