Zander Arnao

Policymakers need concrete proposals for shifting online algorithms away from attention-maximizing designs toward optimization for long-term user value and satisfaction. As concern around the design of algorithms has grown, policymakers have introduced and passed legislation seeking to shape the design of these systems in order to produce better algorithmic feeds.

Published by The Lawfare Institute in Cooperation With In the United States, state and federal lawmakers have introduced more than 75 bills since 2023 targeting the design and operation of algorithms, more than a dozen of which have passed into law. Last year, both New York and California passed laws seeking to restrict children’s exposure to “addictive feeds.” This year, policymakers in Connecticut, Missouri, and Washington state have launched similar initiatives targeting algorithmic design.