(CAPITOL CITY NOW) Big Tech is creating social media addicts out of our children. That’s the thinking behind a new, multifaceted state law regulating this.
The social media giants would have to strengthen their default privacy settings and limit the use of algorithms designed to get kids addicted.
“The research backs up what parents already know: that unchecked social media is hurting our kids ‘friendships, their self-esteem, their ability to focus in the classroom,” State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) said at the bill-signing ceremony. “The algorithms were not designed to help them grow. They were designed to hook them to keep them glued to their screens.”
State Sen. Willie Preston (D-Chicago) said the Internet has been a force for good, “but it has also created new dangers, and that too many families have experienced. They know it all too well. Online predators have hidden behind anonymity. Powerful algorithms have often prioritized engagement over safety.”
“Limiting excessive screen time and cutting off addiction before it can start is a priority,” said Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “This law targets that issue by limiting screen time during the nighttime to protect young people while they’re asleep.”
