New Jersey has chosen Rutgers University to host a state-funded center that will study how social media affects children, including addictive platform features and whether warning labels could discourage compulsive use. Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced the selection on Oct. 19, backed by a $500,000 grant from the state's Office of the Secretary of Higher Education in the fiscal year 2027 budget.
For parents, the center speaks to questions many families already argue about at the dinner table: how much screen time is too much, and which app features make it hard to stop? Its stated goal is to produce recommendations for policymakers, families, educators and communities.
