Why this lawmaker is fighting social media feeds

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Feb 21, 2024 View in browser   By Nick Reisman and Jeff Coltin With help from Irie Sentner A proposal backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul and pressed by state lawmakers would allow algorithmic feeds to be blocked for children. But state Sen. Andrew Gounardes isn’t convinced. | Shawn Ness/POLITICO FEED FIGHT: Growing concerns over kids’ mental health are fueling an effort in New York to combat algorithm-driven social media feeds. A proposal backed by Gov. Kathy Hochul and pressed by state lawmakers over the last two years would allow algorithmic feeds to be blocked for children. They also want stronger data privacy protections for kids on social media sites. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has called for federal action rather than state legislation. “While some state laws align with solutions we support, we have been open about our concerns over patchwork and conflicting legislation that hold different apps to different standards in different states,” Meta spokesperson Rachel Holland said. “These proposals will mean parents and teens have inconsistent experiences online.” The company has countered with support for parental approval for kids under 16 when accessing app stores and giving some apps parental controls while also being supportive of efforts in Ohio and California. Meta has also backed standards developed by the industry for age-appropriate content and standards for apps commonly used by teens. Targeted ads would limit personalization for kids under 16 as well. “We support clear, consistent legislation that makes it simpler for parents to help manage their teens’ online experiences, and that holds all apps teens use to the same standard,” Holland said. But state Sen. Andrew Gounardes isn’t convinced. The Brooklyn Democrat has sponsored legislation embraced by Hochul to address data privacy for kids. He spoke with Playbook about the effort.  This interview is edited for length and clarity. Meta says federal legislation is needed for something like this and not having individual states come up with their own regulatory plans. Why not have Congress act? The last time Congress took action to protect kids online was 1998 when we were still getting disks for America Online sent to our houses. We were still using dial-up. It was a very, very different world back then. I have zero faith Congress will rise to this moment and do anything meaningful. I think it’s just a false argument advanced by Meta. It’s not in their interest to advance any regulation. If big states like New York and California push for this kind of data privacy protection, will that lead to some sort of national adoption? Or will Meta and TikTok take what the states have done to make that their blanket policy? As New York goes, as California goes, so goes the country. We’ve been in touch with folks in California who want to emulate what we’re doing here. If we do this, I think the companies will have no choice but to change their practices and have it be nationwide. By the way, they already have the ability to do this because they’re doing this in other parts of the world. A lot of what we’re talking about, these companies are already deploying in overseas markets. Their only reason for resisting us here is because they make money off of kids’ mental health and personal privacy. It’s the only reason why they’re trying to throw up a roadblock. Have policymakers reached a tipping point with how social media feeds and digital algorithms have affected not just how kids are thinking, but also adults? It is indisputable the effect social media has had on our personal well-being, on our collective well-being, how we view politics, how we view our neighbors. A lot of that comes from the use of these predictive algorithms which are designed to addict us so we’re glued to the screen longer and longer and also enhance the loudest, most aggressive and most egregious social media voices in the room. — Nick Reisman HAPPENING TOMORROW: POLITICO’s Governors Summit convenes Thursday, Feb. 22, at Washington’s The Wharf, featuring exclusive live conversations with the leaders of six key states. As the Biden administration and Congress struggle to move legislation, America’s governors are wielding more power, advancing policy more quickly, and breaking from national party lines. Catch Playbooker Eugene Daniels interviewing Gov. Chris Sununu (R-N.H.), along with other POLITICOs sitting with Govs. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.), Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.), Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.), Jared Polis (R-Colo.), and Bill Lee (R-Tenn.). We expect those interviews to touch on border security and migrants, energy and climate policy, health care and abortion, education and religion, even how challenges to NATO and the cease-fire movement are impacting state politics and policy. Register to join or watch live here. IT’S WEDNESDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE’S KATHY? In New York City speaking at Google’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and making a mental health announcement. WHERE’S ERIC? In St. Louis, Mo., touring the WWT Global Headquarters and Innovation Center and receiving an award at Jazz St. Louis’ “Swing For Tomorrow’s Stars” gala. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “The constitutionality of regimes like New York City’s is an important and pressing question. … In an appropriate future case, we should grant certiorari to address this important question.” — Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, via the Daily News, in a statement declining to take up a case that could end rent stabilization, but keeping the door open. ABOVE THE FOLD Former chief of staff to Mayor Eric Adams Frank Carone, his wife, Diana, and his brother and business partner Anthony each made maximum contributions of $5,000 to Adams’ Legal Defense Trust. | Courtesy of Frank Carone FRANK FOR HIRE: A firm run by Mayor Eric Adams’ former chief of staff became a city lobbying outfit just weeks after he and his relatives gave $15,000 to Adams’ legal defense fund — evading the prohibition against lobbyist donating. The arrangement alarmed a government watchdog group, while highlighting the murky ethics of contributing to a politician’s attorney fees, POLITICO reports. Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 5, POLITICO’s analysis of public records shows Frank Carone — who is also chairing Adams’ 2025 reelection campaign — along with his wife, Diana, and his brother and business partner Anthony each made maximum contributions of $5,000 to Adams’ Legal Defense Trust. The next month, as first reported by the Daily News, several employees of Oaktree Solutions registered as city lobbyists. Frank Carone himself is registered to only lobby state officials. “It’s unfortunately par for the course with the Adams campaign. It’s routine practice for them to game the ethics and conflict of interest and campaign finance rules,” John Kaehny, executive director of the government reform group Reinvent Albany, said of the Carones’ donations. “They’ve been doing that since before day one.” Carone’s firm has reported 13 lobbying retainers totaling $146,500 per month so far this year, according to state records. According to Carone, reported lobbying clients constitute a small portion of the firm’s business. The lobbying clients include Brooklyn-based real estate powerhouse Slate Property Group, nonprofit health insurance provider Amida Care, mass-texting software company AlertTek and Upper East Side Jewish temple Congregation Emanu-El. — Irie Sentner and Jeff Coltin CITY HALL: THE LATEST Better Child Care NYC is launching today with the goals of increasing the property tax credits for new child care centers, passing a law extending the hours centers can be open and streamlining the permitting process. | Spencer Platt/Getty Images CHILD CARE COALESCING: A new group is lobbying to fix New York City’s problem of “child care deserts” where no seats are available. Better Child Care NYC is launching today, led by the Real Estate Board of New York and District Council 37, and includes all five borough chambers of commerce. Goals include increasing the property tax credits for new child care centers, passing a law extending the hours centers can be open and streamlining the permitting process. Another coalition, New Yorkers United for Child Care, launched late last year and is focused more on funding existing child care options. Unlike the new group, which comprises many mayoral allies, New Yorkers United for Child Care is keen on pressuring Mayor Adams to expand free preschool programs. “REBNY and businesses see the writing on the wall,” Executive Director of New Yorkers United for Child Care told Playbook. “The lack of affordable child care threatens our economic future, as working and middle-class families flee because of the city’s affordability crisis.” — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — Adams worked to discredit a New York Post column on migrant contracting — putting him in an uncomfortable position with the paper that’s pulled its punches with him. (POLITICO) — The city’s Airbnb law has thinned out listings — but can it bring down rents? (Hell Gate) — State Sen. Zellnor Myrie launched into something that sounded an awful lot like a mayoral stump speech at a Caucus Weekend panel (City & State) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY Attorney General Tish James spoke Tuesday at the launch party for the Abortion Positivity Project. | Jeff Coltin/POLITICO ONE, TWO, THREE: ABORTION: Attorney General Tish James stood behind a sign declaring “This Barbie is proud to support abortion,” and shared something she has before: “I had an abortion. And I say that because it’s really critically important that we remove the stigma. And that we say the word,” she said. “We can’t hide behind fancy words like reproductive rights. You can’t dress it up. It’s abortion. I had an abortion. It was my choice. It’s my right.” James was speaking at the launch party for the Abortion Positivity Project at The Malin in Manhattan’s West Village. The new nonprofit wants advocates to be “unapologetic and proudly pro-abortion,” Executive Director Sophie Nir said. Does that run counter to the strategy of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who’s called for Democratic message discipline in using the words “reproductive freedom?” James didn’t think so, she told Playbook. “We should say reproductive freedom. Reproductive rights. But we should also not be afraid to say abortion.” Introduced by Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, James closed her remarks leading the crowd of dozens in a cheer: “One, two, three: abortion! Abortion positivity, now and forever.” — Jeff Coltin More from Albany: — Unions are pressing for state Sen. Jessica Ramos to back Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park plan. (Empire Report) — REBNY says housing development is stagnant in New York City — but argues a new affordable housing tax abatement could fix that. (City & State) — In her first interview since a judge ordered former President Donald Trump to pay $354 million in his civil fraud case, James said she is prepared to “seize his assets” if he doesn’t have the cash to pay. (ABC News) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION Rep. Paul Tonko told Playbook the final decision on whether to approve the map is up to state lawmakers. | Mike Groll/AP EYE ON REDISTRICTING: Some Democratic House members are tiptoeing cautiously around the pending map approved last week by the Independent Redistricting Commission. While a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries panned the proposal, Rep. Paul Tonko was more circumspect. Tonko, who represents the Albany area, told Playbook the final decision on whether to approve the map is up to state lawmakers. “They’ll have to determine if minority communities are addressed soundly,” he said. “The law says you can’t break apart natural clusters in that regard.” The new map does give Tonko a boost, in part, by including his house in the district. “I, of course, would accept,” he said of the proposed change. “I think that’s a good help.” But ultimately, Tonko said he will defer to the wisdom of the 215 members of the Senate and Assembly as to whether this map should be approved. “I think they’ll do what is in the law, what is in regulation, within the concept of redistricting that’s done fairly, effectively so the peoples’ interest here is well served,” he said. — Nick Reisman AVLON LAUNCHES: Former CNN journalist John Avlon is going to NY1 — sorry, make that NY-01. First reported by Puck, Avlon has filed to run in the Democratic primary for the 1st congressional district in Suffolk County, a seat now held by Republican Rep. Nick LaLota. “We need to build the broadest possible coalition to defeat Donald Trump, defend our democracy, and to win back the House from his MAGA minions who don’t even seem interested in solving problems anymore,” Avlon said in a launch video shared with Playbook. Avlon’s history isn’t true blue though — he was an aide to Mayor Rudy Giuliani, wrote for the Manhattan Institute, and was a founder of the centrist org No Labels. Other Democratic contenders include chemist Nancy Goroff, former state Sen. Jim Gaughran and Craig Herskowitz, a former attorney for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Avlon is registered to vote in Sag Harbor. — Jeff Coltin More from the delegation: — Rep. Ritchie Torres has quietly quit the Congressional Progressive Caucus over its treatment of the Israel-Hamas war. (POLITICO) — House Republicans who ousted George Santos don’t regret it, even though they lost the seat. (POLITICO) — The Nassau Dems blew up the absentee ballot program for Tom Suozzi like it’s never been done before, which helped him win, Chair Jay Jacobs said in a Q&A. (City & State) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — Brighter, whiter LED lights are coming to every subway station by the end of 2026, the MTA announced. (Gothamist) — A class action lawsuit filed Tuesday against the New York City Administration for Children’s Services alleges the agency uses “coercive tactics” to enter families’ homes, leaving them traumatized. (New York Times) — Two instances of police removing religious head garments from defendants are shining a light on Long Island policies many other areas in the U.S. have left behind. (Newsday) SOCIAL DATA Edited by Daniel Lippman MEDIAWATCH — Nikki Egan is returning to MSNBC as executive managing producer of the weekday perspective and analysis programming leadership team. She previously was at Vice News, where she served as executive producer and showrunner of “Vice News Tonight.” … Mia McCarthy is joining the POLITICO’s States team as its new delegation reporter on Capitol Hill, covering New York, California, Florida and New Jersey. Get in touch with her at mmccarthy@politico.com (and say hi if you see her up on the Hill!). MAKING MOVES — Bryan McNamara is now an adviser to the State Department Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs Sarah Morgenthau. He most recently was chief of staff to New York State Assemblymember Alex Bores. — Marcella Tillett abruptly resigns as head of Eric Adams’ ‘Mayor’s Fund’ for NYC after just 16 months: ‘Nobody had expected it’ (NY Post) ENGAGED –— Thibaut Dupuy, director of product management at American Express, on Feb. 9 proposed to Anya Angarsky, senior business development manager at Klarna. The couple live in New York and met on a dating app in February 2019. Thibaut proposed at Eden Rock, Saint Barthélemy. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: David Geffen (8-0) … Maya MacGuineas … Jeremy Gaines … Reuters’ Ross Colvin … NYC Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch … LinkedIn’s Jeff Weiner … Jordan Zaslav … Kilmeny Duchardt ... (WAS TUESDAY): Kamran Elghanayan ... David M. Friend ... Emily Nussbaum YOUR NEW YORK NUMBER OF THE DAY 5 Members of the NYPD dance team who Adams hosted at City Hall Tuesday, after their PIX11 morning news performance was roundly mocked on social media.   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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