New York has moved to tighten oversight of how social media platforms engage young users, with a new law requiring warning labels about addictive design features when minors access popular apps such as Instagram and TikTok.

The legislation, signed late Friday, obliges platforms to alert users under the age of 18 to the potential mental health risks linked to prolonged social media use. State officials say the measure is aimed at addressing growing concerns over how design tools such as infinite scroll, autoplay videos, and algorithm driven feeds encourage extended screen time among teenagers.

The requirement draws in part on guidance from the US Surgeon General, who has warned that excessive use of social media may be associated with anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, and other wellbeing challenges among young people. New York City Mayor Eric Adams has previously framed the issue as a public health concern, declaring social media a hazard for youth earlier this year.

Under the law, platforms that rely on engagement boosting features must display clear warning notices to minors when they log in. The labels must remain visible for at least ten seconds at the start of a session, reappear after three hours of cumulative use, and then recur every additional hour. Companies are prohibited from burying the warnings in user agreements or other obscure sections of their platforms.

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State Senator Andrew Gounardes, who sponsored the bill, compared the approach to earlier public health interventions, arguing that regulation is necessary when industries profit from products linked to widespread harm. He said the goal is to rebalance how digital platforms interact with young users, rather than eliminate social media altogether.

Violations of the new requirements may lead to civil penalties of up to five thousand dollars per incident. Enforcement will fall to the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

The law is part of a broader push by state lawmakers to regulate digital spaces used by minors. Other proposals under consideration include age verification measures and tighter limits on how platforms collect and use data from teenage users.

TikTok and Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, did not respond to requests for comment on the new rules.