Ohio lawmakers are taking a direct aim at social media addiction. A bipartisan bill introduced in the Ohio House would require warning labels on social media platforms specifically designed to keep users hooked, and it could change how millions of Ohioans interact with their screens every day.
House Bill 808, introduced on April 1 by Reps. Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) and Jodi Salvo (R-Bolivar), along with 13 co-sponsors from both parties, would require social media companies to display warning labels when users access platforms deemed “addictive.”
The bill targets specific design features, including algorithm-driven feeds, autoplay videos, push notifications, infinite scroll and visible “like” counts, classifying them as elements of an “addictive social media platform.”
What the Ohio Social Media Addiction Bill Would Do
Under the proposal, companies operating such platforms would be prohibited from making them available to Ohio users unless a state-designed warning label is displayed each time a user accesses the service.
If enacted, the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health would be responsible for developing the warning label.
The agency’s director, working alongside the state departments of health and education and workforce, would base the label’s content on available medical and sociological research.
The bill outlines factors for consideration, including potential links between prolonged social media use and anxiety disorder, depression, body dysmorphia, disruptions in sleep patterns and changes in attention span, memory formation and cognitive development, particularly among minors.
The legislation also prohibits companies from obscuring or minimizing the visibility of the warning label or placing it solely within terms of service agreements.
Enforcement authority would fall to the Ohio attorney general, who could seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, along with restitution, disgorgement of profits, and injunctive relief.
Understanding Social Media Addiction
Social media addiction is a behavioral addiction in which a person compulsively uses social media platforms despite negative consequences to their mental health, relationships or daily functioning. The platforms themselves are often engineered to make stopping difficult.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Cockley, has spoken publicly about getting caught in the cycle herself. “I’m somebody that already has anxiety and depression; there were probably times where it made that worse,” she said.
A large body of research asserts that social media can have addictive properties. In a 2021 meta-analysis of 63 studies across 32 countries, researchers found that as many as a quarter of participants showed signs consistent with problematic social media use.
Common signs of social media addiction include:
- Spending more time online than intended
- Feeling anxious or irritable when unable to check social media
- Neglecting work, school, or healthy relationships due to screen time
- Using social media to escape stress, loneliness, or negative emotions
- Failed attempts to cut back on use
Why This Matters for Ohio Residents
Ohio has been at the forefront of addiction awareness, from the opioid crisis to now behavioral addictions like social media.
A California jury recently awarded a woman millions after she successfully argued that Meta’s Instagram and Facebook platforms and Google’s YouTube got her addicted to social media as a child. Ohio lawmakers are watching cases like this closely.
If passed, the legislation would mark one of Ohio’s most direct attempts to regulate social media design by requiring consumer-facing warnings similar to those used in public health campaigns.
HB 808 has been introduced and referred to committee for further consideration, and no vote has yet been taken.
For parents especially, the bill raises an important question: does your family know the signs of addiction when they see them on a screen?
Finding Addiction Treatment in Ohio
Behavioral addictions, including social media addiction, are real and treatable. If you or someone you love is struggling to control social media use or other behavioral patterns, professional support is available across Ohio.
Addictions.com lists verified rehab treatment centers across Ohio. Call
800-681-1058
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