USA: Social media needs consider when designing products The physical and mental health of minor

The California legislature on Tuesday (August 30) passed a bill that would, for the first time in the United States, require makers of social media applications such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to consider when designing products The physical and mental health of minors.

"California is home to the tech innovation space, and we welcome that," state Rep. Buffy Wicks, a Democrat, and the bill's lead author, urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign the bill's news release Tuesday morning said at the meeting. "But I also want to keep our kids safe, and right now, they're not." Social media companies have opposed the bill, arguing that the different state laws governing their apps will make compliance difficult.

The bill requires social media companies to research products and features that may be accessed by minors to assess and mitigate potential harm before releasing them publicly, and those assessments must be submitted to state attorneys general. It also requires companies to disclose their privacy policies in language children can understand and prohibits the profiling of minors and the use of tools that encourage children to share personal information.

In addition, it would prohibit companies from conducting precise geolocation tracking and prohibit companies from using children's personal information in ways that are harmful to children's health unless they are notified. Companies found to be violating the rules could face bans on their products and fines of up to $2,500 per affected child per violation, or up to $2,500 per child in the case of willful violations A fine of US$7,500 (approximately RMB 50,000) can be imposed. The bill will go into effect in July 2024.