Bill > HB2991

This bill establishes a "Technology Protection for Minors Grant Fund" administered by the Arizona Attorney General, funded by civil penalties and legal costs recovered from violations of new regulations concerning minors' access to technology content. The fund will be used to award grants to non-profit organizations for various purposes, including educating parents and minors about online safety and the mental health effects of social media, providing resources for minors harmed by violations, supporting research on social media's impact, funding law enforcement investigations into technology-facilitated harm to minors, and offering mental health services to minors affected by social media use. The bill also introduces new regulations for "covered companies" (entities that own or operate application stores or operating systems) and "developers" (those who create websites, online services, or applications), requiring them to implement age verification mechanisms, obtain parental consent for children under sixteen to download applications, and provide parental controls for limiting app downloads and usage time. Social media platforms are further required to offer features allowing parents to monitor their child's usage, connections, and content visibility, and to notify minors after one hour of daily use, among other protections. Violations of these new regulations can result in civil penalties of up to $75,000 per violation, with recovered funds directed to the grant fund.