The Wisconsin Assembly recently passed a bill to protect kids from the many harms associated with social media use. As social media has gained momentum, addictive algorithms have preyed on the developing minds of young users causing addiction, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. The new bill would help prevent these effects by requiring social media companies to identify when a user is a child, obtain parental consent before allowing a child to use the site, and disable addictive features. The bill has been sent to the Senate for a vote.

If passed, this bill would ensure that social media sites are held accountable for the negative effects of their product and that children are protected from the harm associated with social media use. Social media isn’t going away, but legislation like this can provide much needed accountability.