WMBF News reports that Henry McMaster has approved a sweeping new law aimed at limiting addictive features on social media platforms used by children, adding stricter privacy requirements and banning targeted advertising to minors.
The measure targets large social media companies generating more than $1 billion in advertising revenue, including platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
Under the law, companies must identify and flag accounts belonging to users younger than 16 once they have sufficient confidence about a user’s age.
Once identified, platforms are required to activate enhanced safety features, including parental control dashboards, and must stop direct marketing to those users.
Brandon Guffey, of York, led the effort and said the changes are designed to curb practices he argues intentionally capture children’s attention.
“Once they confirm that they have confidence this is a child, then they must enact safety features … and stop marketing directly to our children.” The law also prohibits features commonly associated with prolonged screen time, including infinite scrolling and automatic video playback.