Massachusetts Lawmakers Push for Social Media Restrictions. What Happens Next?

Massachusetts lawmakers are weighing two bills that would target kids' social media usage.

According to a Telegram & Gazette report, two slightly different versions of the legislation exist. The House's bill would ban social media use for children younger than 14. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's proposal, however, would limit features for users younger than 18, including two-hour usage limits, turning off infinite scrolling and autoplay, and turning off location sharing.

Supporters say the measures would address the negative effects of social media on youth. Opponents of the legislation, however, warn of privacy and security risks, as well as potential free-speech violations, tied to mandatory age verification.

Both proposals from the House and Healey would require social platforms to implement an age verification system, a central legal sticking point in similar laws nationwide.

While several states have passed laws banning or limiting social media, they've all experienced their share of pushback. 

Challenges to similar laws in Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, and Mississippi have led to enforcement setbacks or ongoing litigation.

NetChoice, a coalition representing major social platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, opposes age-verification requirements and has sued multiple states over similar laws. NetChoice claims the laws violate free speech and create security risks through age-verification requirements.

Evan Greer, a Boston resident and director of Fight for the Future, a digital rights advocacy group, told the Telegram & Gazette that the bills' age-verification requirements threaten people's safety and privacy. She said Massachusetts would likely be sued over the bill.

Healey Senior Advisor Gabrielle Viator acknowledged that while other states have faced legal challenges over their social media laws, Healey's proposal, which would limit certain addictive features for kids younger than 18, stands apart from rules in other states.

“I think we're fortunate here to have worked closely with the attorney general's office and feel that we have an approach focused on the default features that we feel is strong and will hold up in court,” Viator said. 

The House's proposal stated that “no social media platform shall provide data other than what was submitted for the purposes of verifying the age of the user.”