(BOSTON–7/9/2026) Today, Senator Feeney joined his colleagues in the Senate to pass legislation that takes aim at social media platforms’ most addictive features that target young people.   

The bill cracks down on settings that are engineered to keep minors perpetually on social media platforms at the expense of the health and wellbeing of users.  

Features such as autoplay, ‘infinite scroll,’ and intrusive algorithms that capitalize on users’ personal data would be turned off by default for minors. Minors would not be able to change those default settings, while adult users would retain control over their own settings.  

"The more we learn about the effects of social media use, the clearer it becomes that stronger protections are needed to shield children from the intentionally addictive practices linked to serious mental health challenges. As social media continues to evolve from a platform intended to foster connection into one that too often prioritizes engagement at any cost, we have a responsibility to demand better for young users. This legislation does just that by directly targeting the addictive algorithms used to keep kids trapped in an endless cycle of scrolling and absorbing harmful content that can fuel anxiety, depression, and isolation. Social media platforms should work for kids—not against them,” said Senator Paul Feeney (D-Foxborough). 

Studies have linked prolonged daily social media use to increased depression and anxiety in children.  

The legislation—S.3164, An Act protecting children from addictive social media feeds—includes added optional safeguards for children, such as limits on the ability of ‘non-friend’ accounts—strangers—to contact minors’ accounts.  

Senators voted to adopt an amendment (Amendment 24) that adds mandatory protection for minors’ precise location data. As amended, the bill now requires that social media platforms cannot allow minor children to share their precise locations with others.  

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means redrafted and advanced the legislation with a 14-0 vote on July 2, 2026.  

The bill was subjected to a public feedback process last year by the Joint Committee on Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.  

Full details of the legislation are available in a fact sheet in the Senate’s press room.  

The Senate passed the bill on a 38-2 roll call vote and sent it to the House of Representatives for further consideration.  

Statements of Support  

Dr. Jonathan Haidt, Author of The Anxious Generation  

“S.3164 doesn’t ask children to resist a machine designed by engineers to be irresistible, and it doesn’t put the burden on exhausted parents to individually negotiate their family’s relationship with trillion-dollar companies. It simply says that addictive designs are off by default for kids. Massachusetts should pass this bill without weakening it and then strongly enforce it to the full extent of the law.”  

Haley Hinkle, Policy Counsel, Fairplay For Kids  

“It is indisputable that social media platforms are designed to maximize profit at the expense of minors’ safety and wellbeing. S.3164 would provide significant new protections for minors by limiting the social media features that have directly contributed to so many online harms, including personalized feeds, autoplay, and geolocation sharing. We thank Senator Creem and the Senate Committee on Ways and Means for their leadership and thank the Massachusetts Senate for its leadership on this important legislation on behalf of the state’s kids and teens.”   

Holly Grossshans, Senior Counsel for Tech Policy, Common Sense Media  

“Common Sense Media applauds the Massachusetts State Senate for passing this very important social media safety bill. Parents across Massachusetts, and across the country, are demanding that lawmakers hold technology companies accountable for the products they build. Today, the state Senate answered that call by passing this bill. We commend Senator Creem and the Senate leaders for their commitment to protecting kids, and we urge House leaders and Governor Healey to join the Senate in supporting this bill to ensure that technology serves children, not the other way around.”  

Julie Scelfo, Founder and Executive Director, Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA)  

“MAMA commends the Massachusetts Senate for taking the necessary steps to protect children from addictive social media algorithms. By disabling or limiting highly addictive features that social media platforms develop to continuingly engage users in harmful scrolling patterns, this critical legislation supports children’s safety, education, and mental health. For far too long, tech companies have exploited our children’s developing brains to maximize screen time at the expense of their mental health. We are grateful for Senator Creem’s leadership, urge swift passage of Senate Bill 3164, and look forward to ensuring that every child in the Bay State can have a healthy childhood centered around real-world interactions that are central for health and well-being.”  

Megan Iorio, Senior Counsel and Platform Governance & Accountability Program Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)  

“For too long, social media companies have relied on invasive data collection and manipulative design practices to drive engagement, often at the expense of young people's safety and well-being. The Senate bill’s requirement that social media companies design their products to be safe for kids is an effective and constitutional approach to protecting kids online. EPIC is proud to support this legislation.”  

Adrienne Principe, Founder, Turning Life On  

“The nation is facing one of the biggest public health threats in decades. Internal research reveals that social media companies prioritize profits over mental and cognitive health, especially the health of our youth. We are grateful for Senator Creem’s hard work and dedication and the Senate’s commitment to passing a law that does what these companies refuse to—protect social media users from features that are deliberately addictive and harmful.”   

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