| | | | |  | | By Nick Reisman, Jeff Coltin and Emily Ngo | | Presented by |  | | | With help from Shawn Ness
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There are measures designed to expand regulations for kids' social media use, but lawmakers say it is just the beginning. | Hans Pennink/AP | New York lawmakers this week could approve a pair of measures meant to expand regulations for how kids use social media. But that could only be the start as legislators are planning a far broader effort to place new guardrails on social media use — including for adults. “This is the new frontier and you’ll see more and more legislation surrounding technology in the coming years,” Assemblymember Nily Rozic told Playbook. How lawmakers act on social media in New York could have a wide-ranging impact across the country, potentially reshaping how campaigns interact with voters or businesses find new customers. Both parties have taken aggressive postures against major platforms: Florida has moved to ban children under age 15 from using social media; Congress and President Joe Biden want to force a sale of TikTok from a Chinese firm. Rozic is the lead Assembly lawmaker for the measure that would block algorithmic feeds for minors as a means of addressing what tech critics contend is the most addicting, and potentially most harmful, aspect of social media. The proposal, as well as a bill that would block tech companies from collecting the personal data of minors, are among the most hotly debated measures as the legislative session draws to a close this week. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signaled both bills are a priority for her as the session ends and they have won the backing of the statewide teachers union. Tech companies, including social media giants like Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta, have conducted a $1 million lobbying campaign against the legislation and warned of free speech implications posed by the bills. Todd O’Boyle, the senior director of technology policy at the trade group Chamber of Progress, told Playbook the regulations under consideration are a “cautionary tale” for future proposals. “Its sponsors' intent is good, but for months they have refused to acknowledge that a blanket ban on algorithmic feeds could make social media worse,” he said. “They have also waved off legal concerns that have torpedoed similar bills in other states. Unfortunately, that doesn't bode well for the chances of New York policymakers having a thoughtful conversation in the future about the best way to regulate technology,” Boyle added. But those critical of the increasing power of social media companies are hitting the like button — and they want more regulatory action in the coming years. “I hope that someday this is put in place for adults as well,” said Joe Toscano, a social media critic who leads a data privacy company. “The destruction of our communication and democracy has become so blatant and obvious we have to do something about this.” Toscano has helped craft social media laws and has advised New York lawmakers on the issue. He endorsed the bill to turn off the algorithmic feeds for minors, alongside a host of data security experts and Chris Hughes, a co-founder of Facebook. “I see it as a foothold to the mountain that we’re climbing,” Toscano said of the bill. “This is the first stake in the ground.” — Nick Reisman IT’S MONDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
| | | | A message from Amazon: When Lisa-Jae and Kammy took their business beyond East Hampton, New York they turned to Amazon’s suite of tools to help. “Amazon’s tools help us attract new customers,” they said. More than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store are from independent sellers, most of which are small to medium-sized businesses. See the impact. | | | WHERE’S KATHY? Making an affordable housing announcement in Buffalo and a healthcare announcement in Fredonia. WHERE’S ERIC? Hosting a roundtable discussion with Australian Consul General Ridout and Australian and Australian business leaders, making a public space- and restrooms-related announcement, delivering remarks at the Jerusalem Post’s annual press conference, then at NYCEDC’s tech week kick-off, then at Consulate General of Italy’s “Festa della Republica,” hosting an evening of faith. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Alvin Bragg is going to run on a history-making, career-making prosecution. The first ever of a former U.S. president. Period. That’s a hell of a record to run on on its own.” — Maya Wiley, the legal commentator and former mayoral candidate, in a POLITICO report on the Manhattan DA’s standing after the conviction.
|  | ABOVE THE FOLD | | | | 
Many elected officials showed out at the Israel Day parade and made clear their support for Israel. | Emily Ngo/POLITICO | ISRAEL SOLIDARITY: Dozens of elected New York leaders, Democratic and Republican, made crystal clear Sunday that they stand by Israel and believe the world should see Hamas as the villain in the war in Gaza. Several marched together at the front of the annual Israel Day parade in Manhattan, surrounded by a sea of fluttering blue-and-white Israeli flags. “Let us say that Hamas is evil and we will defeat Hamas,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, sparking a “bring them home” chant. The event — secured by a maze of metal barricades and masses of police officers — took on new significance as the first Israel Day since the Oct. 7 attacks. As Palestinian suffering in war-torn Gaza has come into sharper focus, more American and international leaders are condemning Israel’s role in the deaths, displacement and famine. Sunday brought some protesters to Fifth Avenue — including one with a vile, hateful sign — but they were a blip compared to the massive showing of Jewish New Yorkers and their allies, including Hochul, State Attorney General Tish James and Mayor Eric Adams. “In a world of rapidly growing amnesia about Oct. 7, we must ensure that the names and the stories of the hostages are front and center,” Rep. Richie Torres said at a news conference with relatives of the Israeli victims and Reps. Tom Suozzi and Dan Goldman. “Hamas controls whether or not this war continues,” Goldman said, adding of the cease-fire deal on the table: “If Hamas accepts this offer by Israel — supported by the international community — and begins to release the hostages, then this conflict will end.” — Emily Ngo
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Consultant Bradley Tusk is looking to spend $25,000 in support of a City Council bill that expands tenants' rights. | Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch | BROKER BILL BOOSTED: First in Playbook, an unlikely supporter is planning to spend at least $25,000 supporting the City Council bill to ban landlords from charging renters brokers fees. Consultant Bradley Tusk is pro-business, but he’s thrown his support behind Council Member Chi Ossé’s bill, arguing this will benefit the younger renters the city needs to stay vibrant. So his Tusk Philanthropies is launching a digital ad campaign, urging young New Yorkers to lobby their members to “end forced brokers fees.” That counters a lobbying effort by the Real Estate Board of New York, which has launched its own campaign against the bill, Crain’s reports, ahead of a scheduled June 12 hearing at City Hall. Dueling rallies, and fiery testimony, are expected. — Jeff Coltin — And if you learned about that broker bill on TikTok? It’s because the 26-year-old Ossé is a rare politician who is really good at social media — and so is his comms director, Elijah Fox. (Link in Bio) SPEAKING OF SOCIAL MEDIA: Alisa Roever is a devoted fundraiser for Adams’ legal defense fund and started a charity with the Mayor’s brother that raised ethical questions for the mayor. She’s also, apparently, a devoted Donald Trump supporter. She shared a meme Saturday of Jesus Christ comforting Trump in the Oval Office. “It’s okay,” the caption read, “They called me guilty too.” YES TO YES, PLEASE: Community Boards are going to start voting soon on Adams’ proposed City of Yes for Housing Opportunity plan. And a lot of them have already been organizing against the zoning changes. First in Playbook, the wide-ranging Yes to Housing Coalition is sending all 59 boards a letter, urging them to make their advisory vote an approval, arguing the plan will help the affordable housing crisis. Signees include for-profit and nonprofit developers, architects, and tenant groups. — Jeff Coltin More from the city: — A tale of two Adamses: inside the feud between the mayor and the City Council speaker. (New York Post) — The city will spend at least $225 million on building a new centralized “Public Safety Academy” in Queens to train all the enforcement agencies. (Daily News) — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s broadside against Adams on a radio show marks the sharpest criticism of the mayor’s track record to date. (Daily News)
| | | | A message from Amazon:   | | | | | NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY | | | 
State sen. Sean Ryan is making an end-of-session push to raise the minimum wage with the help of labor unions. | Mike Groll/AP | PARITY PUSH: Labor unions, including influential organizations Communications Workers of America and 1199 SEIU, are making an end-of-session push to create a statewide minimum wage. The measure has stalled in the Legislature this year and a deal to do so was not included in the budget this April. Still, as the session ends this Friday, unions and Democratic lawmakers are calling for “wage parity” — creating a single minimum wage statewide. “When the cost of living goes up, people in every part of New York feel the crunch,” Buffalo state Sen. Sean Ryan said. “For those already struggling to make ends meet, diminished purchasing power can mean a choice between paying the bills or putting food on the table.” The minimum wage is $15 an hour in counties north of Westchester. In New York City and the surrounding area, the floor is $16 an hour. The split was meant to address the differing cost of living in the regions of the state. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — Assemblymember Emily Gallagher racked up more than $4,000 in ticket fines. (New York Post) — Advocates say officials are not providing enough legal assistance to migrants living in New York. (Times Union) — Police officers rarely face blame when civilians are hurt in crashes. (LoHud)
| | NEW YORK STATE OF MIND | | — Longtime Staten Islander Brian Moffett, who is suffering from ALS, wants to be the first person to use medical aid in dying in New York. (Staten Island Advance) — A City Council candidate is being probed by New York City. (NY Post) — A Times Union investigation found hundreds of cases of physical abuse in public schools across the state. (Times Union)
| | | | A message from Amazon: Amazon has partnered with small and medium-sized businesses for over 23 years, connecting local businesses like 3 Moms Organics with customers across the country.
Today, more than 60% of sales in Amazon’s store come from independent sellers, most of which are small to medium-sized businesses.
Discover more. | | | | | SOCIAL DATA | | Edited by Daniel Lippman MAKING MOVES: Ryan Heath is joining Robin AI as head of communications and PR. He was most recently a global technology correspondent at Axios and is a POLITICO alum. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Kristen Welker, moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” and John Hughes welcomed John Zachary Welker Hughes on Thursday night. He came in at 7 lbs and 19 ¾ inches and joins big sister Margot. Pic … Another pic … On-air announcement. — Natasha Sarin, a professor at Yale Law School and a Biden Treasury alum, and Tom Kaplan, domestic policy editor for the NYT, welcomed Kai Sarin Kaplan and Zayn Sarin Kaplan on May 23. Kai came in at 5 lbs, 7 oz, and Zayn came in three minutes later at 5 lbs, 4 oz. Pic HAPPY BIRTHDAY: John Kirby … Anderson Cooper … WSJ’s Michelle Hackman … Gina Foote of FGS Global … Edelman’s Rob Rehg … Dennis Overbye … Don Teague … Allegra Morosani … (WAS SUNDAY): Jeanine Pirro … Rich Ashooh … JP Schnapper-Casteras … Frank Rich ... Gary Bettman ... Davina Weinstein ... Jessica Loeser ... Audrey Gelman … Daniel Herz-Roiphe … Ben Sheridan … (WAS SATURDAY): NBC’s Alex Seitz-Wald … FT’s Ed Luce … CBS’ Olivia Gazis … AP’s Bill Barrow … Elizabeth Rojas Levi of ERL Group (37) … Matt Winkler … Dan Tannebaum … Insider’s Benjamin Nigh … Constance Boozer … Marvin G. Goldman ... Uri Berliner ... Spencer J. Ackerman ... Amy Schumer ... Nicole Goodkind ... Hailey Kops … (WAS FRIDAY): William Nordhaus ... Jeffrey Steingarten ... Bernie Goldberg ... Matthew S. Levine. Missed Friday’s New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. You can read it here.
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