Legal Responses to Addictive Technologies Conference

The Institute for Privacy Protection and Gibbons Institute for Law Science & Technology at Seton Hall University School of Law will host on April 12, 2024, a conference on "Legal Responses to Addictive Technologies: Addressing the Impact of Screens, Social Networks, and Online Games on Kids."

These days kids’ screen time is consistently on the increase. More than half of teens say they are nearly constantly online. Researchers warn of the detrimental impact of excessive screen time generally, and social networks and games specifically, on kids. Whistleblowers from Silicon Valley revealed how tech companies use addictive designs to increase their users time online.

Recently, states attorneys general, school districts and parents filed lawsuits against social networks. Congress and many states enacted or proposed laws to protect kids from addiction and other online harms. The tech industry is challenging these laws in courts across the country. The FTC proposed new rules to protect kids online, while engaging in antitrust action against Big Tech. And a growing movement is advocating to ban cell phones in schools.

This conference will explore the impact on kids and the potential and challenges of legal action to contain addictive technologies. It will also evaluate policy changes regarding the use of technology in schools. It features two keynote speakers including Matthew J. Platkin, 62nd Attorney General of New Jersey, and Serena Viswanathan, Associate Director for Advertising Practices of the Federal Trade Commission. Speakers will also include legal academics, attorneys, regulators, activists, educators, and mental health specialists.

Professor Gaia Bernstein, Co-Director of the Institute for Privacy Protection and the Gibbons Institute for Law Science & Technology, and author of the book “Unwired: Gaining Control over Addictive Technologies” said: “We are holding this conference at an opportune moment. We have a generation of kids who have been in front of screens for over a decade. Research reveals that we are facing a public health crisis for children. We now know that the technology industry is designing its technologies to addict. In the last year we have seen significant legal action especially involving social media. But to solve this problem we need to have a conversation between regulators, lawyers, educators, activists, health professionals and parents. We are very excited to provide the forum for this important discussion.”

The conference will be held at Seton Hall Law School, located at One Newark Center, Newark, NJ 07102 on April 12, 2024, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Registration information and agenda are available on the conference website https://law.shu.edu/events/legal-responses-to-addictive-technologies-conference.html

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:  Lili Young at [email protected] or by phone at 973-642-8864.

Categories: Special Programs