The North Carolina General Assembly has introduced a bill aimed at protecting minors under the age of 16 from potentially harmful social media use.
Effective March 1, 2025, the Social Media Protection for Minors Act would establish regulations for online platforms that cater to young users. The bill defines social media platforms as those that allow users to upload content, use algorithms to curate posts, and include features such as infinite scrolling, push notifications, or auto-play videos. Platforms meeting these criteria and attracting significant usage by minors would be subject to new restrictions.
The legislation is designed to address concerns about addictive online behaviors and exposure to harmful content. The North Carolina Department of Justice would oversee enforcement.
The bill excludes services focused solely on email or direct messaging. Further details on enforcement and potential penalties have yet to be outlined.
