Bill > HB1834

This bill aims to protect children online by establishing comprehensive regulations for digital platforms and services likely to be accessed by minors. The legislation defines key terms like "addictive feed" and "addictive internet-based service," and requires businesses to implement strict privacy and safety measures for underage users. Specifically, businesses must estimate the age of users with reasonable certainty, configure default privacy settings to high levels of protection, and avoid collecting or using personal information in ways that could harm minors' mental or physical well-being. The bill prohibits profiling minors by default, restricts precise location tracking, and bans the use of "dark patterns" that might manipulate or mislead young users. Starting January 1, 2026, companies must verify users are not minors before providing certain services, and they must provide mechanisms for users to limit their engagement with addictive feeds, such as setting time limits or hiding feedback metrics like likes. The bill also restricts notification times for minors during school hours and early morning hours, and establishes that compliance with these rules does not protect companies from potential future legal claims related to minor users' harm. Violations of the bill are considered unfair trade practices under Washington state law, and the entire legislation will become null and void if not specifically funded by June 30, 2025.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1834&Year=2025&Initiative=false