Hochul Defends NY's Tech Regulations: "Protecting Kids Isn't Restricting Speech"

New York Governor Kathy Hochul sat down to discuss her administration's sweeping approach to regulating technology companies, a strategy that spans social media restrictions for minors, AI guardrails, data center oversight, and 3D-printed firearms. In an election-year moment thick with tech policy stakes, she defended her record against First Amendment concerns and explained the reasoning behind some of the nation's most restrictive digital regulations.

Why Kids' Mental Health Justifies Limits on Speech#

Hochul emphasized that her push to regulate tech companies targeting young people stems from a genuine public health concern. Teenagers are experiencing rising anxiety and depression, and she argues that platform algorithms deliberately amplify addiction by design.

The state has implemented restrictions that include:

• No push notifications sent to users under 18 between midnight and 6:00 AM, so teenagers can sleep undisturbed
• Automatic privacy controls enabled by default, rather than forcing parents to navigate complex settings
• Age verification requirements to access the platform
• Limitations on AI chatbots for minors, with mandatory disclaimers that bots are not real people

When pressed on whether such rules amount to speech restrictions that could face legal challenges, Hochul pushed back. "Not having notifications that keep you awake all night when you're 13 is not restricting your First Amendment right to free speech," she said. The difference, she explained, lies between government censorship and government protection of vulnerable populations.

The Broader Regulatory Philosophy#

Hochul framed her approach as a middle path: she regulates strategically when necessary, not reflexively, and aims to keep New York competitive for tech jobs while protecting residents. The state has become the nation's top job creator for tech positions, surpassing California, and she credits smart regulation rather than hostility as key to that success.

She drew a parallel to cigarette regulation—the earlier companies hook young users, the longer they maintain that dependency. The state's blanket ban on cell phones in schools, implemented in September, has already shown early wins: surveys from May indicated 75–80% of surveyed schools reported overwhelmingly positive results, with students rekindling face-to-face friendships, playing games, and developing interpersonal skills.