Walz Signs Social Media Protections For Minnesota Kids

Minnesota signed a law tightening protections for children on major social media platforms. Users under 16 must obtain verifiable parental consent to create or maintain an account. Child accounts automatically default to the most private settings available. Covered platforms must estimate users’ ages and make reasonable efforts to identify minors. The law bans specified addictive interface features, including infinite scroll, autoplay video, push notifications, and engagement metrics. It also prohibits targeted paid commercial advertising directed at child users. Platforms must provide parental controls such as time limits, monitoring options, and account termination tools, and must allow parents and children to bring legal claims with statutory damages for knowing or reckless violations.

"Minnesota is turning up the pressure on the biggest social media companies, as Governor Tim Walz on Tuesday signed a bill that tightens protections for kids online by requiring parental consent for users under 16 and limiting design tricks lawmakers say keep children glued to their screens. The law zeroes in on the largest platforms and hands parents new tools to monitor and rein in their kids' accounts. Supporters say the measure effectively resets default privacy settings for minors and cuts down on targeted advertising aimed at young users."

"The outlet reports that the law requires platforms to obtain verifiable parental consent before anyone under 16 can create or maintain an account, and that child accounts will automatically default to the most private settings available. The law defines a "child" as someone 15 or younger and applies to covered platforms, meaning services with at least $1 billion in worldwide revenue or 10,000 account holders. Those companies must estimate users' ages and make reasonable efforts to identify minors."

"On child accounts, the law bans specified "addictive interface features" including infinite scroll, autoplay video, push notifications and the display of engagement metrics. It also forbids targeted paid commercial advertising directed at child users. Platforms must provide parental controls such as time limits, monitoring options and account termination tools, create a private right of action for parents and children, and face statutory damages for knowing or reckless violations."

"The statute treats knowing or reckless violations as deceptive trade practices and gives enforcement authority to the state Attorney General, while families can also request"

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