California lawmakers have passed a bill that would place new restrictions on how children under 16 use social media, putting the issue directly in front of families across the Coachella Valley.
The proposed rules would prevent social media platforms from giving users under 16 certain features considered addictive, including autoplay videos and algorithmically curated feeds. Unlike some other states, the bill would not allow parents to simply override the restrictions and approve those features for their children.
The measure now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has previously expressed support for restrictions on social media use by teenagers.
The issue was the subject of a recent Roggin Report discussion featuring HR professional Cherie Johnson and filmmaker Paul Scott. The conversation focused on a question many Valley parents may be asking: Is the government protecting kids, or going too far?
Johnson argued that social media is still a relatively new product and that the long-term effects on teenagers are not fully understood. She pointed to an $18 billion settlement involving Meta and said the situation suggests regulation may be necessary when companies do not regulate themselves.
“This is a very new product on the market,” Johnson said, adding that teenagers have only been exposed to social media on a large scale for roughly the last 10 to 15 years.
Scott compared social media restrictions to other government safeguards, arguing that parents should not necessarily be able to override regulations simply because a child is in their home.
“It’s the product. It’s like cigarettes,” Scott said.
The discussion also touched on Palm Springs, where the segment referenced an existing curfew for minors after 10 p.m. Scott said restrictions such as that can serve as safeguards without necessarily replacing the role of parents.
Johnson agreed, saying parents have been asking government officials for help dealing with Big Tech. She described the California measure as a “modest step forward,” while Scott called it the beginning of what he hopes will become broader regulation.
For Coachella Valley families with teenagers, the debate now moves from the dinner table to Sacramento: How much protection is enough, and where should parental choice begin and government regulation end?
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
