Why Minnesota’s New Social Media Warning Law Is On Hold

On July 1, Minnesota officially became the first state in the country to require social media platforms to display a mental health warning label.

However, if you opened Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram at the beginning of July, expecting something new, you probably noticed... nothing at all.

That's because although the new law is on the books, the warnings are nowhere to be found, and for good reason.

What The New Minnesota Law Requires

Under the new Minnesota statute, social media platforms must show a conspicuous warning every single time a user opens the app.

The warning has to spell out the potential negative mental health impacts of social media use, and it has to stay on your screen until you either acknowledge it or leave the platform.

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It can't be buried in the terms and conditions, it can't be disabled, and it must include mental health resources — including the website and phone number for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

It’s also worth noting that the warning law applies to everyone, not just teenagers. It's part of a broader push by Minnesota lawmakers to address social media and mental health, following the state's new teen social media law requiring parental consent for younger users.

So Why Aren't The Warnings Showing Up?

In a word: lawyers. Reports indicate that NetChoice, a tech industry group representing companies including Meta, Google, TikTok and Snapchat, sued the state in federal court, arguing the law violates the First Amendment by forcing private companies to carry the government's message.

While the case plays out, reports indicate the Minnesota Attorney General's Office has agreed not to enforce the law for now, saying it wants to give the court "breathing room" to rule on the state's motion to dismiss.

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There's also a precedent looming over the whole thing: a federal judge blocked a similar warning label law in Colorado late last year on the same free speech grounds.

What It Means For You Right Now

For the moment, nothing changes. Your apps will look the same as they did in June. If the court ultimately sides with Minnesota, the pop-up warnings would start appearing on every covered platform in the state. If the court sides with the tech companies, they may never show up at all.