Minnesota legislature passes bill to require mental health warning labels on social media platforms

On Monday, June 9, Minnesota became the first state legislature to pass a “social media warning label” bill. Under House Bill 2, social media platforms would be required to display a “conspicuous mental health warning label” each time a user accesses the platform. The label must remain visible until the user exits the platform or acknowledges the warning and chooses to proceed. The bill also prohibits platforms from placing the warning solely in their terms and conditions, obscuring it with extraneous information, or allowing users to permanently disable it.

The bill uses an existing definition of “social media platform” under Minnesota law that applies to “an electronic medium, including a browser-based or application-based interactive computer service, Internet website, telephone network, or data network, that allows an account holder to create, share, and view user-generated content for a substantial purpose of social interaction, sharing user-generated content, or personal networking.” The definition excludes several services, including cloud computing, email, Internet service providers, and telecommunications carriers. There are also narrower exceptions for services like streaming, video games, and e-commerce. Notably, an exception for communications services like texting only applies for services provided by a business to its employees or clients for business purposes.

The required warning labels must inform users of the potential negative mental health impacts of social media use and provide access to mental health resources, including the website and phone number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline, such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The Minnesota Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Commerce, is tasked with developing and regularly updating evidence-based guidelines for the warnings based on current mental health research. The requirements would be enforced by the Attorney General, and if signed into law by Governor Tim Walz, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Authored by Mark Brennan, Thomas Veitch, and Jordyn Johnson.