SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS — Gov. JB Pritzker is proposing a new statewide fee on social media companies to generate an estimated $200 million annually for public education as Illinois faces a projected $2 billion budget shortfall.
Under the plan, social media platforms would pay a monthly fee based on the number of active users in Illinois. Companies with 100,000 to 500,000 users would pay 10 cents per month for each user over 100,000. Platforms with 500,000 to 1 million users would owe $40,000 per month plus 25 cents per user over 500,000. Companies with more than 1 million users would pay $165,000 per month plus 50 cents per user over that threshold.
The proposal would prohibit companies from passing the fee on to consumers.
In prepared remarks for his State of the State address, Pritzker argued that social media algorithms contribute to adolescent mental health issues, polarization and misinformation, while companies “contribute nothing” to offset those impacts. He said the revenue would support elementary and high school funding.
The proposal mirrors a Chicago tax approved in the city’s 2026 budget, which imposes a 50-cent monthly fee per user over 100,000, with revenue earmarked for mental health services.
Sources:
-
CBS News Chicago – MBFC Rating
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
