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Senate committee hears experts and industry clash over bill to curb "addictive" algorithmic feeds for minors
Summary
Witnesses, including former platform employees and child development researchers, urged the Washington Senate committee to back a bill limiting algorithmically generated "addictive feeds" for minors; industry groups and trade associations warned such bans risk First Amendment problems and urged targeted safeguards instead.
A Washington State Senate committee heard competing testimony on legislation to limit algorithmically generated "addictive feeds" and late-night push notifications to minors.
Sean Colgan, an assistant attorney general in the consumer protection division, told the Business, Trade and Economic Development Committee the bill (previously introduced as Senate Bill 5,708) would prohibit platforms from serving algorithmically derived continuous content streams to users reasonably determined to be minors during school hours and at night. Colgan emphasized the proposal would not bar minors from accessing platforms by search or direct following; "the bill just shields them from these predatory addictive feeds," he said.
Former platform employees gave sharply critical testimony. Brian Bolland, who said he spent 11 years at Facebook and helped build the company’s ad and newsfeed…
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