Ohio lawmakers propose warning labels on addictive social media platforms

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio lawmakers want to put warning labels on social media platforms that use features that keep users glued to their phones and addicted to their feeds.

House Bill 808, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Democratic Rep. Christine Cockley of Columbus and Republican Rep. Jodi Salvo of Bolivar would mandate warning labels on what the legislation defines as “addictive social media platforms.”

 This would include websites, applications and other online services that provide users with an “addictive feed,” where push notifications, autoplay, infinite scroll, or like counts play a significant role in the services provided.

Cockley said that the idea for the bill came about when she was sitting in her office reminiscing about Nickelodeon’s “Worldwide Day of Play,” when the network would temporarily suspend programming to encourage children to go outside and play. Cockley was also inspired by similar legislation signed into law by Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hocul.

 “As kids, we were so annoyed that we couldn’t watch the regular programming, but it also taught us that technology is not going anywhere, so we can go outside and play, and we can also enjoy the television or social media the next day,” Cockley said.

“So that’s how this kind of came about. I was thinking about how we can have both the emerging technologies and also the boundaries to protect children from addictive platforms.”

 Under the bill, the director of Behavioral Health would collaborate with the departments of Health and Education & Workforce to create the text that would be used by the social media companies.

 The bill asks that when crafting the language, experts consider the links between heavy social media use and behavioral health issues, including anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia, low self-esteem, as well as educational outcomes and cognitive development.

 “I’ll let the professionals from the different departments and agencies determine the text, but what I hope it does is it reminds users that there is healthy boundaries and healthy ways to use social media and to remind them to put their phone down and go do something else,” Cockley said.

 Cockley said that she is approaching the bill similarly to another technology bill she’s sponsored with Republican Rep. Ty Mathews from Hancock County, House Bill 524, which would give the state the authority to hold artificial intelligence companies accountable when chatbots encourage self-harm or harm to others.

With this bill, Cockley similarly wanted to make sure that these platforms would actually comply with the law.

Under the legislation, the attorney general’s office would maintain a publicly available website for Ohioans to submit complaints. It would also give the attorney general the authority to investigate claims and impose up to $5,000 in civil penalties.

Cockley explained that an annual report would also be created to summarize the efforts taken by the Departments of Behavioral Health and Education and Workforce – determining what the text says, whether that text changes over the years, and any recommended legislative changes.

“It really is not about legislating content. It’s about legislating the platforms and the product, especially during a time where social media companies continue to choose profit over children’s health and well-being.”