New Jersey Governor signs online safety laws for children

Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed a legislative package in New Jersey aimed at protecting children from the addictive and harmful effects of social media. The package includes three bills that codify an Age-Appropriate Design Code and establish a Social Media Research Center. This center, to be housed at a public four-year higher education institution, will independently study the impacts, addictive features, and emerging risks associated with social media platforms.

The legislation is part of a broader effort to hold technology companies accountable for platform designs that prioritize user engagement and profit over child safety. This move follows growing concerns regarding the mental health of young people. Research, such as a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, has linked high levels of social media use to increased risks of depression, poor wellbeing, and self-harm among adolescents.