New York State has finalized the SAFE for Kids Act, legislation designed to protect minors from the addictive aspects of social media. The law, officially known as the "Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation" Act, is scheduled to go into effect on January 25, 2027. It aims to prevent social media companies from providing algorithmically personalized content feeds to users under 18 and to prohibit late-night notifications between midnight and 6 a.m.
Under the new law, minors can only override these default settings with parental consent. Enforcement will be carried out through civil penalties and age-verification processes, which may include government ID verification, facial age estimation, or checks against official records. New York's law includes provisions for "zero-knowledge" age verification systems, intended to protect user privacy by only confirming an individual's age status without sharing additional data.
However, the effectiveness and legality of such measures have been subjects of debate and legal challenges in other jurisdictions. Similar laws enacted in states like California and Arkansas have been blocked by courts, which have raised constitutional concerns. Critics also warn that mandatory age verification could compromise online anonymity and privacy for all users.
Experiences in other countries suggest that minors can find ways to circumvent online restrictions. In Australia, a ban on social media for minors in late 2025 reportedly led many young users to create new accounts, seek help to bypass restrictions, use VPNs to alter their location data, or use identification belonging to older individuals. A YouGov survey indicated that 27% of Australian parents reported their children migrating to less regulated platforms. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, a government report found that 40% of 11- to 17-year-olds had circumvented age verification measures for online content, with a significant increase in VPN downloads observed.
While the SAFE for Kids Act may succeed in keeping some younger users offline or limiting their access to certain features, experts suggest that these legislative efforts alone are unlikely to eliminate the problem of social media addiction among minors. The article notes that government regulations cannot fully replace the role of families, educators, and communities in guiding children's online behavior and protecting them from harmful content, such as gambling, pornography, or extremist material. Parents and guardians are encouraged to actively participate in monitoring and limiting their children's social media use, with a noted trend towards reduced screen time and the use of simpler mobile devices.