Legislation to protect children’s mental and behavioral health from addictive social media algorithms and harmful online content passed the Senate on a 36-12 vote Wednesday.
In 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report that stated spending 3 hours online a day doubled the risk of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety. That same report found that teenagers spend an average of 3.5 hours a day online.
Senate Bill 5708, sponsored by Sen. Noel Frame (D-Seattle), provides meaningful protections to minors using online platforms by regulating addictive feeds and push notifications. It mandates users select the type of content they receive in their feed while still allowing platforms to moderate or remove inappropriate content instead of using a minor’s data for an “addictive feed” algorithm intended to keep their attention on the platform. The bill also includes push notifications limits, ensuring minors do not receive notifications when at school or late at night.
“I think every parent worries about what their children are up to online and the effect social media apps and their addictive content feeds have on their mental health and success at school,” Frame said. “These sophisticated algorithms are so good at keeping you scrolling and scrolling. They can take our attention away from everything else going on in the world. Research shows there’s a direct link between screentime and youth mental health, and I think the Legislature has a responsibility to step in to see if we can help put some real protections in place for kids.”
The legislation was developed in partnership with Attorney General Nick Brown, whose agency requested the bill.
“Passage of SB 5708 is a win for families and young people whose mental health is put at serious risk by compulsive social media use. This is a commonsense and legally sound approach to give families peace of mind their children aren’t being tracked or manipulated by the social media platforms they enjoy,” Brown said. “We’re committed to working with legislators and stakeholders to get the best possible bill to the governor’s desk by end of session.”
The bill is now in the House of Representatives for consideration.
