California lawmakers on Tuesday adopted text aimed at forcing social networks like Instagram and TikTok or online gaming platforms to put the interests of children before their profits.
The text must now be signed by Governor Gavin Newsom to become final law and apply in this state that is home to Silicon Valley and its technology giants.
“When there is a conflict between commercial interests and the best interests of children, companies must prioritize the privacy, safety and well-being of children over commercial interests”, it is then added in the text that will come into force in 2024.
“Technology companies can be regulated”
Social networks are regularly accused of having detrimental effects on younger users, for example by overexposing them to other people’s seemingly ideal lives or inappropriate advertisements. The law would require platforms to install settings that offer a high level of data protection for minors by default.
It would also prohibit them from collecting, sharing, or selling any personal information that is not necessary for the proper functioning of the service. It also wants to prevent social networks from using any functionality that they know is detrimental to the health, physical or mental, of younger users.
The California law, the first of its kind in the United States, is inspired by a text adopted in the United Kingdom in 2021.
If the governor signs the law, “we hope that this model will be emulated by other US states and other countries around the world,” he added.
Source: BFM TV
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