SB 503 establishes the Minor Exploitation Prevention Act to regulate how mobile applications are distributed and used by minors in Louisiana. The law requires app stores to verify user ages and allows developers of apps intended for adults to request age signals from these platforms to restrict access to younger users. App developers must also avoid showing personalized ads to minors and provide tools for parents to supervise their children's usage. While the bill places liability on developers for correctly identifying their apps as adult-only, it protects app stores from legal responsibility if they act in good faith regarding age verification.
This bill establishes new rules for how social media platforms must operate when users are minors. It requires platforms to implement specific restrictions on accounts held by young people and mandates that these companies follow certain safety requirements. Additionally, the legislation outlines a process where the state attorney general can take legal action against platforms that fail to comply with these rules or engage in unfair business practices. The text also includes minor administrative changes to the bill's structure, such as renumbering sections and adjusting punctuation.
This bill establishes new rules in Louisiana to protect minors from potential harm while using companion chatbots, which are AI systems designed to simulate human conversation and relationships. It requires these platforms to obtain explicit consent from a parent or guardian before a minor can create an account and grants parents specific controls, such as monitoring chat history, limiting daily usage, and receiving alerts if the child expresses intent to self-harm. Additionally, the law mandates that platforms clearly inform users they are interacting with artificial intelligence, automatically terminate accounts for minors without parental consent, and permanently delete personal data upon account closure. Companies that knowingly or recklessly violate these provisions could face civil penalties, legal action by the state attorney general, and lawsuits from affected minors.
HB 134 requires interactive computer services (like social media platforms) that create accounts for minors to stop delivering or displaying material defined as harmful to minors (per existing law) and to avoid using algorithms to promote such content to minors. It prohibits platforms from creating or developing harmful material for minors' accounts and bans algorithmic amplification of such content. Violations can result in civil fines up to $10,000 per incident, but platforms get 45 days to fix issues before enforcement begins. Fines collected fund consumer protection efforts, and the law takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 220 requires "covered platforms" (like social media, video games, and messaging apps that host user-generated content) to implement a clear, easy-to-use reporting mechanism for suspected child exploitation content. Platforms must provide plain-language labels like "Report Child Sexual Exploitation," allow anonymous reporting without account registration, and confirm receipt of reports. Non-compliant platforms face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per day, with funds directed to child cybercrime investigations. The law excludes email services, government sites, educational tools, and non-user-generated content platforms from its requirements.
SB 386 creates Louisiana's first comprehensive data privacy law, granting residents the right to opt out of having their personal data shared by businesses. It directly affects Louisiana residents (as "consumers") and businesses collecting their data, requiring companies to provide clear choices about data use. Key provisions include a general opt-out right for data sharing, definitions of personal data (like location and biometrics), and specific protections for sensitive information such as health records. The law applies broadly to businesses processing data on Louisiana residents, not limited to social media platforms as the title suggests.
HB 427, the "Kids Online Protection and Anti-Grooming Act," requires online platforms (like social media and video games) that contract with minors under 16 in Louisiana to prioritize minors' privacy. It mandates two key changes: setting minor accounts to private by default (visible only to connected users) and alerting legal guardians if minors encounter sexually explicit material. The bill directly affects platforms operating in Louisiana with minor users, defining "minor" as anyone under 16 not emancipated or married. These provisions aim to reduce exposure to harmful content and strengthen parental oversight through default settings and notification systems.
