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Committee re-refers bill requiring social-media warning labels, pop-ups for time spent online
Summary
Lawmakers heard testimony for House File 1289, which would require warning labels on social media platforms and periodic pop-ups showing time spent; supporters cited mental-health and safety concerns, while industry groups raised First Amendment and effectiveness objections; the committee re-referred the bill to Health Finance and Policy.
House File 1289, carried by Rep. Stevenson, would require social media platforms to display consumer-warning labels and periodic notifications about cumulative time spent on the service. The bill’s sponsor framed the measure as a public-health response to peer-reviewed studies and clinical observations tying excessive social-media use to negative mental-health outcomes, particularly among teens.
Eric Michie, CEO of SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) and a member of the Kids Keep It Digitally Safe campaign, testified in support and described social media as “engineered for addiction” that exposes young people to predation and harmful content. “We don't rely on cigarette companies to police themselves,” Michie said, urging regulation and enforcement rather than voluntary corporate measures.
Tabitha Urbanski offered emotional testimony describing the 2022 death of her 17-year-old son, whom she said purchased drugs through Snapchat; she said social media contributed to both the drug deal and broader mental-health harms and asked lawmakers to move the bill forward.
Opponents included NetChoice, a tech trade association. Zach Lilly of NetChoice told the committee the bill would raise First Amendment issues and argued that labeling requirements must be verifiable and content-neutral. He urged the legislature to prioritize education and parental controls rather than mandated on-platform speech. NetChoice and similar groups flagged constitutional and implementation concerns.
Committee members asked about scientific evidence, age-targeting, enforcement, and algorithmic mechanics. Rep. Stevenson said the bill’s warning labels and periodic pop-ups are intended to be one tool among many to reduce harms to minors and to educate families; she pointed to prior Minnesota legislation on data privacy, influencer protections and deepfakes as related actions the state has taken.
After questions and discussion, the committee voted by voice to refer House File 1289 to the Health Finance and Policy Committee.
