Health Care

N.J. bill would fine social media platforms for promoting eating disorders to minors

‘Our adolescents are seeing this on a day-to-day basis.’
This combination of 2017-2022 photos shows the logos of Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat on mobile devices. (AP Photo, File)

Lawmakers in New Jersey have advanced legislation that would make it the first state to take on social media platforms that promote eating disorders to children.

The bill, which the Assembly passed 46-24 in December, would prohibit social media platforms from “using a design, algorithm, practice, affordance, or feature” that they know could cause children to develop eating disorders, including promoting diet products. Violators would be subject to fines of up to $250,000.

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