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New York Finalizes Rules Barring Algorithmic Social Feeds for Under‑18s

Officials frame the rules as a step to limit addictive platform design.

Overview

  • The final rules, announced Tuesday, give platforms 180 days to comply and set state enforcement to begin on Jan. 25, 2027.
  • Platforms must verify each user's age using methods such as government ID, account-history checks, or visual or audio age estimates.
  • Companies may not serve algorithmically curated recommendation feeds to users under 18 and must limit minors to content from accounts they deliberately follow or a chronological feed.
  • The rules ban overnight push notifications to minors without consent, allow parents to opt out only if a platform offers that option, and authorize fines up to $5,000 per violation.
  • Child-safety advocates praised the measures as a major protection for youth while state officials expect industry groups to mount legal challenges that could mirror mixed court outcomes in other states.