78B-3-1102. Legislative findings.
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Effective 10/1/2024
78B-3-1102. Legislative findings.
The Legislature finds that:
(1)social media services utilize curation algorithms and engagement driven design elements to maximize user engagement;
(2)minors are particularly vulnerable to manipulation by the use of curation algorithms and engagement driven design elements;
(3)a minor's excessive use of an algorithmically curated social media service is likely to cause adverse mental health outcomes in minors, regardless of the content being viewed;
(4)the risk of an adverse mental health outcome resulting from the excessive use of an algorithmically curated social media service increases when a minor uses the service for more than three hours per day, or during regular sleeping hours;
(5)algorithmically curated social media services are designed without sufficient tools to allow adequate parental oversight, exposing minors to risks that could be mitigated with additional parental control;
(6)protecting minors from the risks associated with the use of algorithmically curated social media services requires intervention at a societal level, informed by expertise in technology, psychology, and youth mental health;
(7)the state has a long-established role and responsibility in implementing protections and regulations to safeguard the health and welfare of minors;
(8)the state has enacted safeguards around products and activities that pose risks to minors, including regulations on motor vehicles, medications, and products and services targeted to children;
(9)any adverse mental health outcomes for minors that are linked to the excessive use of algorithmically curated social media services are a serious public health concern for the state; and
(10)the state has a compelling interest to protect minors in the state against adverse mental health outcomes.
Enacted by Chapter 224 , 2024 General Session