The Legislature finds that:

1. (1) social media services utilize curation algorithms and engagement driven design elements to maximize user engagement;
2. (2) minors are particularly vulnerable to manipulation by the use of curation algorithms and engagement driven design elements;
3. (3) a minor's excessive use of an algorithmically curated social media service is likely to cause adverse mental health outcomes in minors, regardless of the content being viewed;
4. (4) the risk of an adverse mental health outcome resulting from the excessive use of an algorithmically curated social media service increases when a minor uses the service for more than three hours per day, or during regular sleeping hours;
5. (5) algorithmically curated social media services are designed without sufficient tools to allow adequate parental oversight, exposing minors to risks that could be mitigated with additional parental control;
6. (6) protecting minors from the risks associated with the use of algorithmically curated social media services requires intervention at a societal level, informed by expertise in technology, psychology, and youth mental health;
7. (7) the state has a long-established role and responsibility in implementing protections and regulations to safeguard the health and welfare of minors;
8. (8) the state has enacted safeguards around products and activities that pose risks to minors, including regulations on motor vehicles, medications, and products and services targeted to children;
9. (9) any adverse mental health outcomes for minors that are linked to the excessive use of algorithmically curated social media services are a serious public health concern for the state; and
10. (10) the state has a compelling interest to protect minors in the state against adverse mental health outcomes.

Enacted by Chapter 224, 2024 General Session