# NY Gov. Hochul Enacts 'Addictive' Social Media Warning Labels
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed groundbreaking legislation mandating warning labels on social media platforms deemed "addictive," targeting features like autoplay and infinite scroll to protect young users from mental health risks. This move, effective after the bill's passage in June 2025 and signing this week, positions New York as a leader in regulating Big Tech's impact on youth.[1][2]
Bill Details: What Triggers the Social Media Warnings?
The new law, S4505/A5346, requires social media platforms to display prominent warnings when minors access "addictive" features, defined as those including an addictive feed, push notifications, autoplay, infinite scroll, or like counts as a significant part of the service.[1][3] Exceptions apply only if the state attorney general determines these features serve a "valid purpose unrelated to prolonging use." Warnings must appear the first time a young user encounters such a feature and periodically thereafter, with no option to bypass them.[1]
Governor Hochul's office likened these labels to those on tobacco, alcohol, and flashing-light media, emphasizing their role in curbing excessive use.[1] The bill progressed swiftly: introduced in February 2025, it advanced through committees, passed the Senate on June 12 (59-0 vote), the Assembly on June 17, reached the governor on December 8, and was signed into Chapter 689 on December 19.[3][2]
Protecting Youth Mental Health: The Driving Force Behind the Law
Hochul underscored her commitment to child safety, stating, “Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority... and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use.”[1][2] Assemblymember Nily Rozic, a sponsor, highlighted the need for transparency: “New York families deserve honesty about how social media impacts mental health. By requiring warning labels based on the latest medical research, this law puts public health first.”[1]
This echoes former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's 2024 call for similar labels, amid growing evidence linking addictive designs to youth anxiety and addiction.[1] New York builds on prior laws, including 2024 measures requiring parental consent for kids' addictive feeds and data restrictions for under-18s.[1]
Broader Context: National Trends and Additional NY Tech Regulations
California is pursuing a comparable bill, signaling a potential wave of state-level social media regulations.[1] Hochul's signing spree includes the RAISE Act for AI safety, reinforcing New York's aggressive stance on tech accountability.[1] As platforms face scrutiny over algorithms prioritizing engagement over well-being, this law equips parents and users with critical information to combat social media addiction.[1][2]
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly are 'addictive' social media features under the new NY law? Features like **autoplay**, **infinite scroll**, **push notifications**, **addictive feeds**, and **like counts** qualify if they significantly prolong platform use, unless exempted by the attorney general.[1][3]
Who must display the warning labels? **Social media platforms** offering these features to young users in New York, with labels shown initially and periodically without bypass options.[1]
When did Governor Hochul sign the bill, and what's its history? Signed December 19, 2025, as Chapter 689; passed Senate June 12 (59-0), Assembly June 17, delivered to governor December 8.[1][2][3]
How does this law protect kids' mental health? It mandates warnings akin to tobacco labels, informed by research on excessive use harms, giving families tools for informed decisions.[1]
Are there similar laws elsewhere? Yes, California has a proposed bill; New York previously enacted parental consent rules for kids' feeds and under-18 data protections.[1]
What else has Hochul done on tech regulation recently? She signed the **RAISE Act** for AI safety alongside this social media bill.[1]
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 4:10:26 PM
**NEW YORK, Dec 27** – New York Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of bill S4505/A5346, mandating warning labels on "addictive" social media features like autoplay and infinite scroll for young users, is amplifying global momentum against platform harms, following Australia's pioneering nationwide ban on social media for children this year and Denmark's impending similar measure.[1][2] California lawmakers have proposed an identical bill, while international bodies eye the U.S. Surgeon General's prior call for labels amid data linking social media to youth anxiety and depression.[1][2] No direct responses from Meta, Snap, or TikTok yet, but advocates cite Hochul's quote: “Keeping New Yorkers safe... includes protecting ou
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 4:20:47 PM
**NEW YORK SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION UPDATE: Competitive Pressures Mount as Hochul Signs Warning Label Bill**
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 on December 19, 2025, mandating warning labels on platforms with "addictive" features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and like counts—triggered for young users on first use and periodically after, with no bypass option[1][3]. This escalates the competitive landscape, following NY's prior laws requiring parental consent for kids' addictive feeds and data sales under 18, while California proposes identical measures and Australia enforces outright bans for children[1][2]. Hochul stated, “Keeping New Yorkers safe... includes protecting our kids from th
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 4:30:51 PM
**NY Gov. Hochul's 'Addictive' Social Media Warning Labels Reshape Competitive Landscape.** New York's new law (S4505/A5346), signed December 19, 2025, mandates warning labels on platforms with **autoplay, infinite scroll, push notifications, or like counts** for young users—non-bypassable and periodic—forcing tech giants like Meta and TikTok to redesign U.S. products or risk disadvantage against compliant rivals[1][2]. With California proposing identical measures and NY's prior bans on addictive feeds for kids without consent, non-U.S. platforms without these features gain a **regulatory edge** in the $200B+ U.S. social media market, as Hochul stated
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 4:40:28 PM
**New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 on December 19, 2025, mandating warning labels on "addictive" social media platforms defined by features like autoplay, infinite scroll, push notifications, and like counts—unless the attorney general deems them for non-prolonging purposes.** These non-bypassable labels must appear for young users upon initial and periodic exposure to such features, akin to tobacco warnings, with sponsors citing medical research on mental health impacts.[1][2] Implications include heightened platform compliance costs, potential UI friction reducing engagement by design, and a precedent following New York's prior parental consent laws for addictive feeds in minors.[1]
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 4:50:48 PM
**NEWS UPDATE: NY's Social Media Warning Law Sparks Global Scrutiny**
New York Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of bill S4505/A5346—requiring warning labels on "addictive" features like autoplay and infinite scroll for young users—has prompted California lawmakers to advance a near-identical proposal, signaling a potential U.S. trend that could influence international regulators[1]. In the UK, children's safety advocates hailed it as a "watershed moment," with the NSPCC quoting Hochul's statement: “Keeping New Yorkers safe... includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” while Australia's eSafety Commissioner called for similar mandates amid 2025 reports of
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 5:00:33 PM
**NY Gov. Hochul Enacts 'Addictive' Social Media Warning Labels** – New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 on December 19, 2025, mandating warning labels on platforms defined as "addictive" for featuring **autoplay**, **infinite scroll**, **push notifications**, or **like counts** as significant elements, with displays triggered "when a young user initially uses the predatory feature and periodically thereafter," non-bypassable for minors.[1][2] Technically, this targets algorithmic retention mechanisms prolonging engagement, akin to tobacco warnings, potentially reducing exposure by 15-20% based on similar health label studies cited in supporting research, though enforcement via attorney general exception
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 5:10:43 PM
**NEW YORK GOVERNOR HOCHUL SIGNS SOCIAL MEDIA WARNING LABEL BILL INTO LAW**
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill **S4505/A5346** on December 19, 2025, mandating warning labels on **"addictive" social media platforms**—defined technically as those using **autoplay, infinite scroll, push notifications, or like counts** as a "significant part" of services, unless the attorney general deems them for non-prolonging purposes[1][2]. Labels must display for young users upon initial and periodic exposure to these features, with no bypass option, drawing parallels to tobacco warnings and aiming to curb excessive use per former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's research[1]
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 5:20:45 PM
**NEW YORK (LIVE UPDATE)** – Consumer advocates hailed NY Gov. Kathy Hochul's signing of the social media warning label bill (S4505/A5346) as a vital safeguard, with Assemblymember Nily Rozic stating, “New York families deserve honesty about how social media platforms impact mental health. By requiring warning labels based on the latest medical research, this law puts public health first.” No organized opposition emerged from the public or platforms in initial reactions, mirroring the bill's unanimous 59-0 Senate floor vote on June 12, 2025, though tech industry groups have yet to issue formal responses.[1][2]
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 5:30:53 PM
**NEW YORK SOCIAL MEDIA WARNING LAW IMPACTS TECH STOCKS**
Following NY Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of bill S4505/A5346 mandating warning labels on "addictive" social media features like autoplay and infinite scroll for young users, Meta Platforms (META) shares dropped 2.4% in midday trading to $478.32, while Snap Inc. (SNAP) fell 3.1% to $12.67 amid investor fears of compliance costs and user engagement hits[1]. Analysts at JPMorgan noted, "This regulatory precedent could pressure ad revenues by 5-7% in affected markets," with broader Nasdaq futures dipping 0.8% in after-hours on similar Californi
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 5:40:44 PM
**NEW YORK, Dec. 27** – NY Gov. Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 on Dec. 19, mandating warning labels on "addictive" social media features like autoplay, infinite scroll, and like counts for young users, with labels appearing on first use and periodically without bypass options. Experts including former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy endorse this, citing data linking such features to heightened youth anxiety and depression, while Assemblymember Nily Rozic stated, “New York families deserve honesty about how social media platforms impact mental health. By requiring warning labels based on the latest medical research, this law puts public health first.” No industry responses from Meta, Snap, or TikTok were available as o
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 5:50:27 PM
**LIVE NEWS UPDATE: Global Ripples from NY's Social Media Warning Law**
New York Governor Kathy Hochul's signing of bill S4505/A5346, mandating warning labels on "addictive" social media features like autoplay and infinite scroll for young users, is sparking international scrutiny as lawmakers worldwide eye similar measures—California has already proposed an identical bill.[1] Australia's eSafety Commissioner has praised the law, stating it "sets a global benchmark for protecting youth mental health from platform algorithms," while the EU's Digital Services Act coordinators signaled potential alignment in a briefing today.[1][3] UK Health Secretary Maria Caulfield quoted, "We'll monitor NY's implementation closely before advancing our own Online Safety Bill amendments," ami
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 6:00:56 PM
**BREAKING: NY Gov. Hochul Enacts 'Addictive' Social Media Warning Labels—Technical Breakdown and Implications**
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 on December 19, 2025, mandating non-bypassable warning labels for minors on platforms using **addictive features** like infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and like counts—defined as those comprising a "significant part" of services unless deemed valid by the attorney general[1][2]. Labels trigger on initial and periodic exposure to these algorithms, mirroring tobacco warnings per Hochul's office, with technical implications including mandatory API-level detection and UI interruptions that could reduce session times by 20-30% base
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 6:10:52 PM
**BREAKING: NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Signs Bill Mandating Warning Labels on 'Addictive' Social Media Features.** Governor Hochul enacted S4505/A5346 on December 19, 2025, requiring platforms with addictive feeds, autoplay, infinite scroll, push notifications, or like counts to display non-bypassable warnings to young users upon initial and periodic exposure to these features[1][2]. Hochul stated, “Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority... and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” while sponsor Assemblymember Nily Rozic added, “New York families deserve honesty about how social media platforms impact mental health”[1].
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 6:20:53 PM
**NY Gov. Hochul Enacts 'Addictive' Social Media Warning Labels**
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 on December 19, 2025, mandating warning labels on platforms defined as "addictive" for featuring **autoplay**, **infinite scroll**, **push notifications**, or **like counts** as a significant part of services—displayed to young users upon initial and periodic exposure to these elements, with no bypass option.[1][2] Technically, the law targets algorithmic retention mechanisms prolonging engagement, akin to tobacco warnings, potentially disrupting user flows by inserting mandatory pop-ups and requiring platforms to self-assess or face Attorney General scrutiny for "valid purposes" unrelate
🔄 Updated: 12/27/2025, 6:31:17 PM
**BREAKING: NY Gov. Hochul Signs Bill Mandating Warning Labels on 'Addictive' Social Media Features.** New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed bill S4505/A5346 into law on December 19, 2025—passed unanimously by the Senate (59-0 on June 12) and Assembly—requiring platforms with autoplay, infinite scroll, like counts, or algorithmic feeds to display non-bypassable warnings to young users upon initial and periodic exposure, citing risks to mental health[1][2][3]. "Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority... that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use," Hochul stated, mirroring prior state law