Signal New York social media warning labels law; California digital wellness bill AB 2071

Summary

New York enacted the first law requiring social media platforms to display warning labels to minors on first use of addictive features, with labels appearing initially and periodically thereafter and unable to be dismissed. The law builds on the state's Safe for Kids Act, signed the previous year, which restricts addictive content feeds for users under 18. New York also enforces the Child Data Protection Act, which bars companies from collecting or selling the personal data of minors under 18 without informed consent. Governor Kathy Hochul paired the legislation with a $1.9 million public awareness campaign called "Be Well" aimed at caregivers, teachers, and young people. New York has also implemented statewide bell-to-bell cellphone restrictions in K-12 schools, making it the largest state to require such a policy, alongside distraction-free school standards secured in the FY 2026 budget. California has advanced a parallel digital wellness bill, AB 2071.