The Kids Code Coalition applauds last night’s signature of New York’s Senate Bill S4505/Assembly Bill A5346, social media warning labels legislation authored by Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic.

“This is great news for parents and families. Addictive design is a public health threat that has harmed America’s children for too long. We are thrilled to see so many states implement warning labels to raise awareness about risks, and celebrate this important step New York is taking towards ending the national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Our kids want their lives back. Parents want our kids to have their lives back. And social media warning labels are a big part of how we get there,” said Julie Scelfo, Founder and Executive Director of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) and member of the Kids Code Coalition.

The coalition hosted the bill’s authors for a virtual press conference earlier this year to emphasize the need for urgent action to address the youth mental health crisis and to highlight nationwide momentum in support of warning labels.

Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy continues to call on Congress to pass legislation requiring warning labels on social media, which he has warned presents a “profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.” Despite a lack of federal progress, states have stepped up to answer that call: California and Minnesota enacted warning labels laws earlier this year.

The Kids Code Coalition is a wide-ranging group of national and state organizations dedicated to improving youth online security and privacy by supporting policies that ensure companies prioritize kids’ and teens’ safety and developmental needs when designing digital platforms and products.