New York Governor Kathy Hochul has unveiled a comprehensive legislative package aimed at safeguarding children from the perils of online predators, manipulative AI chatbots, and exploitative social media features.
As part of her 2026 State of the State agenda, the proposals include strengthening age verification processes on social media platforms to ensure that only minors are able to access these sites. Parents would also be given greater control over their children's financial transactions online.
Furthermore, the plan seeks to regulate minors' use of social media in line with growing concerns about its impact on mental health and well-being. Anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep patterns, and other negative effects have been linked to excessive social media usage by American youth.
Building on previous actions, such as banning smartphones from classrooms and introducing warning labels on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the new measures would require social media sites to disable AI chatbot features for minors and set default privacy settings that prioritize young users' safety. Location tracking and contact restrictions would also be implemented to safeguard their online activities.
Gov Hochul described these proposals as "a nation-leading standard" aimed at ensuring children's safety in both online and real-world environments. The legislation includes provisions for teen mental health first aid training, offering it to all 10th graders statewide and new training for adults who work with youth in schools and community programs.
The measures are likely to face opposition from social media giants like TikTok and Meta, which were unavailable for comment on the proposals.
As part of her 2026 State of the State agenda, the proposals include strengthening age verification processes on social media platforms to ensure that only minors are able to access these sites. Parents would also be given greater control over their children's financial transactions online.
Furthermore, the plan seeks to regulate minors' use of social media in line with growing concerns about its impact on mental health and well-being. Anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep patterns, and other negative effects have been linked to excessive social media usage by American youth.
Building on previous actions, such as banning smartphones from classrooms and introducing warning labels on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, the new measures would require social media sites to disable AI chatbot features for minors and set default privacy settings that prioritize young users' safety. Location tracking and contact restrictions would also be implemented to safeguard their online activities.
Gov Hochul described these proposals as "a nation-leading standard" aimed at ensuring children's safety in both online and real-world environments. The legislation includes provisions for teen mental health first aid training, offering it to all 10th graders statewide and new training for adults who work with youth in schools and community programs.
The measures are likely to face opposition from social media giants like TikTok and Meta, which were unavailable for comment on the proposals.
I think this is a great step towards keeping our kids safe online 
. We gotta be aware of these predators and AI chatbots that can manipulate our teens into doing stuff they shouldn't do. Stronger age verification processes are a must, no more sneaky 12-year-olds getting on adult sites 
. And setting default privacy settings for minors is a game-changer 
. We gotta protect their mental health too, excessive social media use can have some serious negative effects 
. It's about time we take control of our online lives and make sure our kids are safe out there 
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. As a parent, I've seen firsthand how these social media platforms can be a breeding ground for predators and manipulators 
. It's refreshing to know that Governor Hochul is prioritizing the safety and well-being of our children.
. We need to normalize conversations about mental health and provide our kids with the tools they need to navigate the online world without getting lost in its vortex 
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. We need to have a more holistic approach that includes parents, educators, and tech companies working together to create safer online environments 
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. We need more resources and guidance to help us keep up with the ever-changing landscape of social media 
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. THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE GIANTS ARE PROBABLY ALREADY WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO WEAVE THEIR CHATBOT MAGIC TO KEEP KIDS ENGAGED IS JUST CRAZY! 
. BUT SERIOUSLY, IT'S TIME WE TAKE CONTROL AND MAKE SURE OUR YOUNG ONES HAVE A SAFE SPACE ONLINE. I LOVE THAT GOV HOCHUL IS TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND OFFERING TEEN MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING - THAT'S JUST THE BEST INTENTIONED THING EVER 
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! As a parent myself, it's crazy how fast our kids are growing up online and getting taken advantage of. I mean, think about it, we're talking about 10th graders being taught mental health first aid training - that's amazing 
. It's high time we take control of our kids' online lives and make sure they're not getting hurt by those manipulative AI chatbots or social media drama.
. We need more people like her who care about the well-being of our youth. And let's be real, social media companies have been dodging responsibility for too long 
. It's time they step up and do what's right.
. I'm guessing it won't be pretty, but we need to push back against those who are exploiting our kids. This is a great step forward for New York, and hopefully, other states will follow suit 
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. And let's be real, regulating social media can't hurt 
. It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out, especially with the big social media companies not commenting on it 
, it's awesome that Gov Hochul is taking concrete steps to protect our youth from all the shady stuff online 
. I mean, let's be real, social media can be a huge stress factory for teens, and this legislation could really help mitigate that. The idea of disabling AI chatbot features for minors and setting default privacy settings that prioritize their safety sounds like a total win 
! We need more leaders like Gov Hochul who care about our mental health and well-being 
. Fingers crossed the social media giants will come around to this new standard 
.