California Bill Could Ban Infinite Scroll for Minors
Original: The infinite scroll may become endangered if controversial Calif. law passes
Why This Matters
State-level UX regulation could set a national precedent for how platforms design products for minors.
A proposed California law may restrict addictive social media features like infinite scroll and autoplay for minors, targeting platforms such as Meta. The bill aims to limit design techniques that encourage excessive screen time among teenagers.
A controversial California bill is targeting so-called 'addictive' design features on social media platforms, including infinite scroll and autoplay video, with the goal of protecting minors from excessive engagement. The legislation would require platforms like Meta's Instagram and Facebook to limit or disable these features for users under 18. Infinite scroll, which continuously loads new content without requiring user action, and autoplay, which automatically queues the next video, are widely used across major platforms to maximize time-on-app metrics. Supporters argue these features are deliberately engineered to exploit adolescent psychology and contribute to teen mental health issues. If passed, California would become one of the first U.S. states to directly regulate specific UX design patterns rather than content. The bill is part of a broader legislative trend in California pushing social media accountability for younger users.