Bill > A09415

This bill establishes comprehensive regulations for social media platforms to protect minors online by creating new requirements for account creation, content access, and age verification. The legislation defines a "social media platform" as an online service with specific characteristics, such as allowing user content uploads, having addictive features like infinite scrolling, and having a significant number of young users. The bill mandates that social media platforms prohibit children under 14 from creating accounts and require parental consent for 14-15 year olds. Platforms must provide mechanisms for account termination and personal data deletion for minors. Additionally, the bill requires websites with content potentially harmful to minors to implement age verification methods to prevent access by individuals under 18. The legislation empowers the Attorney General to investigate violations, with potential civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation, and allows minors to bring civil actions against platforms that do not comply. Importantly, the bill includes strict privacy protections, requiring that any age verification information be anonymized, not retained, and protected from unauthorized access. The law would take effect immediately and aims to create safer online environments for young users by limiting their exposure to potentially inappropriate content and protecting their personal information.

Business and Industry

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A9415