
California aims to protect kids with social media warning labels
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)
A new bill introduced Monday, Dec. 9, in California’s Legislature, would, if passed, make it the first state to mandate mental health warning labels on social media sites. Supporters of the proposal say it is needed to protect children’s online safety and stop social media companies from viewing kids as a “commodity.”
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Victoria Hinks, who says her 16-year-old daughter died by suicide after she was “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glorified eating disorders and promoted self-harm, supports the bill.

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Hinks said the warnings would protect children from social media companies that ignore the mental health problems linked to their products.
However, Big Tech is vowing to fight the measures, with industry officials arguing that the rule violates the First Amendment on the grounds it is “compelled speech.” They contend lawmakers should put their efforts toward online education and mental health resources.
State lawmakers have not given specifics on the bill but say the warnings could pop up once a week.
California’s past efforts to take on Big Tech involved the state suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook, in 2023 and TikTok in October. Both suits accused the companies of creating addictive features that keep children obsessed with their platforms.
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
WHILE IT’S NORMAL TO SEE WARNING LABELS ON PRODUCTS LIKE TOBACCO, ALCOHOL AND PRESCRIPTION DRUGS… A NEW PROPOSAL COULD ACTUALLY PUT THEM ON A SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT
A BILL INTRODUCED MONDAY IN THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE WOULD MAKE IT THE FIRST STATE TO MANDATE MENTAL HEALTH WARNING LABELS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.
SUPPORTERS OF THE PROPOSAL SAYS IT’S NEEDED TO PROTECT CHILDREN’S ONLINE SAFETY AND STOP SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES FROM VIEWING KIDS AS A “COMMODITY.”
VICTORIA HINKS, WHOSE 16-YEAR-OLD DAUGHER DIED BY SUICIDE, AFTER HINKS SAYS SHE WAS “LED DOWN DARK RABBIT HOLES” ON SOCIAL MEDIA GLORIFYING EATING DISORDERS AND PROMOTING SELF HARM, SUPPORTS THE BILL.
SHE SAYS THE WARNINGS WOULD PROTECT KIDS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES THAT IGNORE THE MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS LINKED TO THEIR PRODUCTS.
BIG TECH IS VOWING TO FIGHT THE MEASURE.
ARGUING THE RULE VIOLATES THE FIRST AMENDMENT ON THE GROUNDS IT’S “COMPELLED SPEECH.”
INDUSTRY OFFICIALS CONTEND LAWMAKERS SHOULD PUT THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD ONLINE EDUCATION AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES.
STATE LAWMAKERS HAVEN’T GIVEN SPECIFICS ON THE BILL BUT SAY THE WARNINGS COULD POP UP ONCE A WEEK.
CALIFORNIA’S PAST EFFORTS TO TAKE ON BIG TECH INVOLVED THE STATE SUING META, THE PARENT COMPANY OF FACEBOOK LAST YEAR, AND TIKTOK IN OCTOBER.
ACCUSING THE COMPANIES OF CREATING ADDICTIVE FEATURES THAT KEEP CHILDREN OBSESSED WITH THEIR PLATFORMS.
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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.
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