- Minnesota AG Keith Ellison’s office has released a follow-up report on the effects of emerging technologies, such as AI and social media, on youth well-being.
- The report describes the legal landscape and current legislative efforts to regulate social media and AI, focusing on how recent court decisions that have curtailed laws governing online content while providing more clarity regarding how regulation of product design can help lawmakers in their efforts. The AG’s report also alleges a number of negative effects from these technologies on consumers, particularly youth, including online bullying and harassment; exposure to graphic content; misuse of user information; fraud and manipulation; excessive and compulsive technology usage; and algorithmic bias.
- The report concludes with a series of policy recommendations, such as banning “dark patterns” within platform design; mandating consumer-friendly device-based defaults; implementing usage limits and technology educational programs in schools; prohibiting use of high-risk AI systems by youth; and requiring clear identification of chatbots.
- We have previously written about the Minnesota AG’s first report on the subject one year ago.