New York Governor Kathy Hochul has set out strong positions across a broad range of technology policy issues, from artificial intelligence and data centres to online safety, surveillance and 3D-printed firearms. Speaking during an election year in 2026, the governor addressed a series of debates now shaping how the state regulates emerging technology.
One of the most significant developments involves Meta, which reached a settlement with dozens of states, including New York, restricting how teenagers use platforms such as Instagram. Hochul is a firm supporter of those restrictions and would go further. However, such measures carry consequences: widespread age verification means adults would also need to present identification to access the internet, effectively ending the ability to remain anonymous online.
Online Safety and Age Verification
The settlement raises the question of whether Meta has effectively conceded that similar restrictions on speech might not survive First Amendment scrutiny if imposed through legislation. The tension between protecting younger users and preserving anonymity for adults remains central to the debate over how far online platform regulation should extend.
Ghost Guns and 3D Printing
New York has also introduced restrictions on ghost guns, preventing 3D printers from producing firearm parts. That law is already being contested, though not yet in the courts. Activist Cody Wilson, who operates the largest database of 3D-printable gun files, has begun altering those files in a process he terms “Hochulization” to demonstrate that the ban is, in his view, technically ineffective. Hochul pushed back against that claim directly.
AI, Data Centres and Surveillance
The governor signed a one-year moratorium on data centre construction in July, and the focus now turns to what conditions must be met once it expires for such projects to become viable. The discussion also covered surveillance technology, including Flock cameras, alongside the wider politics of artificial intelligence during an election year.
On the structure of state government, Hochul described an office led by the governor, supported by a senior leadership team. The secretary to the governor serves as the top adviser and holds what she described as the most powerful non-elected position in the state. On taking office five years ago, she said she prioritised surrounding herself with highly capable individuals, many of whom came through strong recommendations rather than prior acquaintance.
The conversation also touched on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, reflecting the range of political and technological questions currently facing the state administration. Hochul signed the data centre moratorium in July, setting a one-year window before those restrictions are reassessed.
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Image: theverge.com
