New York Governor Kathy Hochul is planning to introduce a bill banning smartphones in schools, as part of her ongoing efforts to enhance online safety for children.
“I’ve seen these addictive algorithms trap young people, isolating them from social interaction and normal classroom activities,” Hochul stated.
The bill, expected to be introduced later this year and addressed in the January 2025 legislative session, would permit schoolchildren to carry basic phones that can send texts but cannot access the internet. Hochul did not detail enforcement measures.
“Parents are very concerned about school shootings and want a way to stay connected in emergencies,” she added.
This proposed smartphone ban follows two other bills Hochul is advocating to protect children’s privacy online and limit their exposure to certain social media features.
Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE)
The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act targets algorithmic feeds, requiring social media platforms to offer minors a default chronological feed from accounts they follow rather than algorithmic suggestions. It also proposes that parents have expanded control, such as blocking night-time notifications. Companies violating these regulations could face $5,000 fines per breach, and parents could sue for damages.
“This legislation aims to protect children and serve as a model for other states and countries,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, a co-sponsor along with Democratic state senator Andrew Gounardes.
The second bill, the New York Child Data Protection Act, seeks to limit the collection of children’s personal data by websites that are aware of a user’s age, without requiring age-verification methods like facial recognition or ID uploads.
However, the bills have met resistance from big tech companies and trade groups, which collectively spent over $800,000 lobbying against them between October and March, according to public records. Furthermore, Meta was the largest spender, investing $156,932 in opposition.
Nevertheless, Kathy Hochul remains unfazed by the lobbying efforts, saying, “As someone often targeted by expensive lobbying campaigns, it doesn’t influence me. They’re wasting their money. Moreover, New York is a pro-tech state, but we won’t allow profits at the expense of children’s mental health.”
