Contact: Charlotte Linton, Communications Manager | charlotte@childrensalliance.org | (206) 324-0340
Bill to mitigate harms of addictive online platforms on youth behavioral health returns in 2026 legislative session
SEATTLE, WA — December 3, 2025 — Senate Bill 5708/House Bill 1834, a collaboration between the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, Representative Lisa Callan, Senator Noel Frame, and Children’s Alliance, will be reintroduced in the 2026 legislative session. This legislation would ensure that operators of addictive online platforms make changes to their design and data gathering practices to enable minor users to develop a healthy relationship with their products.
Research shows that excessive engagement with addictive online platforms, like social media, can increase the risk of behavioral health issues. Yet these platforms use data tracking and intentional design principles to keep young people online for as long as possible. As Kelly Stonelake, a former director at Meta confirms, “Executives and leadership within these tech companies know and understand that they are putting children in harm's way, and they justify it based on profit and the race to market dominance. This legislation is necessary because time and time again Big Tech has shown its inability to self-regulate when profit conflicts with protecting kids.”
In Washington state, young people are struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges. Washington is currently ranked 38th in the nation for youth mental health overall and 48th for the number of youth “flourishing” — meaning that, while not all young people are in crisis, very few are experiencing optimal emotional wellness.
This legislation will require companies that operate addictive online platforms in Washington state to create a less harmful experience for youth by:
Stopping platforms serving targeted addictive feeds to minors.
Stopping platforms from sending push notifications during school and sleep hours—they interrupt learning, harm sleep, and drive compulsive checking.
Ensuring all users have access to settings that promote privacy and healthy relationships with online content.
In the 2025 legislative session, SB 5708 passed the Senate with bipartisan support, but stalled in the House where it was not given a hearing. Since then, Children’s Alliance and our legislative partners have collaborated with parents, educators, technology companies, legal experts, youth behavioral health experts, and youth advocates to ensure the legislation is feasible and meets the needs of impacted communities. “Everyone deserves to grow up healthy and fully connected to the people and world around them,” said Dr. Soleil Boyd, Executive Director of Children’s Alliance. “Implementing the provisions in this bill will give control back to young people and their families, so that they can develop healthier relationships with technology and be free to focus on their health, education, and social connections.”
This effort is part of a nationwide movement to prioritize the health of young people by placing commonsense regulations on online platforms. Washington joins over 40 other states also advancing similar legislation. Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown is personally committed to passing the bill and is confident in its feasibility, “Speak with any parent and you’ll hear that they are concerned about the effect that addictive feeds are having on kids’ mental health,” said Brown. “This legislation would implement commonsense protections to keep kids safe online.”
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ABOUT CHILDREN’S ALLIANCE
Children’s Alliance is Washington’s statewide, nonpartisan child advocacy organization. We help people tap into their personal political power so they can advocate for change in their communities. We partner with families, lawmakers, community leaders, service providers and policy experts to develop antiracist policy solutions that improve the lives of Washington kids and build a better shared future for all.
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