Bill > HB925

This bill establishes the Social Media Youth Protection Act, which aims to safeguard minors on social media platforms by imposing several key requirements on social media companies. The legislation mandates that social media companies implement an age-assurance system to identify minors with at least 95% accuracy, and once a minor is identified, the company must set default privacy settings to maximize protection, including restricting account visibility, limiting content sharing, and disabling search engine indexing. The bill requires social media companies to provide supervisory tools that allow a designated individual (like a parent) to set time limits, schedule breaks, view usage data, and receive notifications about account changes. Companies must also obtain verifiable parental consent before a minor can modify default privacy settings and are prohibited from using engagement-driven design features like autoplay and push notifications that can lead to excessive social media use. The legislation is motivated by concerns about the potential negative mental health impacts of social media on minors, including increased rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Violations of the act can be enforced under Montana's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act, and the state has appropriated $25,000 to the department of justice to support enforcement efforts. The bill is effective immediately upon passage and is intended to be integrated into existing consumer protection laws.