California Proposes Mental Health Warning Labels for Social Media Platforms

The bill would require recurring warnings about the potential mental health risks of social media, targeting youth safety.

California's Assembly Bill 56, introduced by Attorney General Rob Bonta and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, aims to mandate mental health warning labels on social media platforms.
The warnings, modeled after cigarette labels, would inform users of the mental health risks associated with prolonged social media use, appearing weekly for all users and lasting at least 90 seconds initially.
The legislation responds to growing concerns about the link between social media and mental health issues in youth, with studies showing increased risks of anxiety and depression among teens who use these platforms extensively.
The bill has received bipartisan support from attorneys general nationwide and backing from advocacy groups like Common Sense Media, though tech industry representatives argue it may violate First Amendment protections.
California has led efforts to regulate tech for child safety, with past laws addressing addictive social media designs and lawsuits targeting companies like Meta and TikTok for allegedly harming young users.