Governor Approves Law to Protect Teens’ Mental Health
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a sweeping new law obligating social media platforms to issue health warnings to minors about the psychological risks of excessive screen time. The legislation, which targets major apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, is designed to confront what officials describe as a growing youth mental health crisis linked to social media use.
Mandatory Alerts Triggered by Usage Duration
The new policy requires that users under 18 see a brief, skippable 10-second alert the first time they log in each day. After three hours of continuous use, the platforms must display a longer, unskippable 30-second warning that repeats every hour thereafter. These notices must include a message stating that social media can cause “profound harm” to children’s mental health—a phrase taken directly from the U.S. Surgeon General’s findings.
Part of Expansive Child Online Safety Agenda
The warning-label measure forms part of a broader legislative package intended to make the internet safer for young Californians. Alongside the new rule, the state is introducing tighter age verification systems, new standards for AI tools that interact with minors, and tougher penalties for distributing deepfake or manipulated content. The initiative cements California’s position as a national leader in efforts to regulate the digital environment and safeguard children’s well-being.
