On February 4, 2025, the Minnesota Attorney General published the second volume of a report outlining the negative effects that AI and social media use is having on minors in Minnesota (the “Report”). The Report examines the harms experienced by minors caused by certain design features of these emerging technologies and advocates for legislation that would impose design specifications for such technologies.
Key findings from the Report include:
- Minors are experiencing online harassment, bullying and unwanted contact as a result of their use of AI and social media.
- Social media and AI platforms are enabling misuse of user information and images.
- Lack of default privacy settings in these technologies is resulting in user manipulation and fraud.
- Social media and AI platforms are designed to optimize user attention in ways that negatively impact minor users’ wellbeing.
- Opt-out options generally have not been effective in addressing these harms.
In the final section of the Report, the Minnesota AG sets forth a number of recommendations to address the identified harms, including:
- Develop policies that regulate technology design functions, rather than content published on such technologies.
- Prohibit the use of dark patterns that compel certain user behavior (g., infinite scroll, auto-play, constant notifications).
- Provide users with tools to limit deceptive design features.
- Mandate a privacy by default approach for such technologies.
- Limit engagement-based optimization algorithms designed to increase time spent on platforms.
- Advocate for limited technology use in educational settings.