Senate Moves to Shut Off Social Media’s Most Addictive Features for Children

 Senate Moves to Shut Off Social Media’s Most Addictive Features for Children 

New legislation targets algorithm-driven content designed to keep young users endlessly scrolling 

(BOSTON—7/2/2026) Massachusetts Senate leaders today unveiled legislation that takes aim at the most addictive components of social media apps to improve children’s safety, education, and mental health. 

The legislation would turn off the most addictive features on youth accounts—such as autoplay, ‘infinite scroll,’ and the algorithm-curated feed—that often keep kids scrolling aimlessly for hours. 

Studies have linked prolonged daily social media use to increased depression and anxiety in children. 

The legislation—S.3164, An Act protecting children from addictive social media feeds—would also require social media platforms to ping young users with a reminder if they have been using an app for a prolonged period. 

Additional required default settings would be changeable by the user, including directly contacting ‘non-friend’ accounts. Restrictions on a minor user sharing their precise location could be changed with parental consent. 

The measures are designed to ensure they do not infringe on users’ First Amendment rights or breach their right to personal privacy.  

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate press room. 

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means advanced the new legislation today to the full Senate, which scheduled debate for next Thursday, July 9. 

The Ways and Means bill is a redrafted version of legislation originally filed by Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Stone Creem, which was publicly reviewed at a hearing last summer by the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity. The joint committee afterwards voted 6-0 to give the bill a bipartisan favorable report. 

All votes taken at the committee and chamber levels are publicly posted on the Legislature’s website.