Minneslate Logo

SF2614 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Use of social media regulation for minors ages 15 and younger

Related bill: HF1875

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to protect minors aged 15 and younger from potential harms associated with social media use. It seeks to regulate the involvement of minors with social media platforms by implementing age verification and parental consent requirements.

Main Provisions

  • Prohibition for Minors Under 14: Social media platforms must prevent any person younger than 14 from creating an account. If such accounts exist, they must be terminated, providing a 90-day period for disputing the termination decision.

  • Consent for Ages 14 and 15: Minors who are 14 or 15 years old need parental consent to open or maintain a social media account. Accounts without verified parental consent must be terminated, with a 90-day dispute allowance.

  • Account Termination Requests: Social media platforms must allow minors or their guardians to request account termination, which must be completed within 5 to 10 business days.

  • Personal Information Deletion: Once an account is terminated, all personal information must be permanently deleted unless legally required to be retained.

  • Enforcement and Penalties: Violations of this bill are considered unfair and deceptive trade practices. The attorney general can impose civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation and seek punitive damages for consistent reckless conduct.

  • Damages to Minors: Minors can seek civil damages up to $10,000 if their rights under this bill are violated, provided actions are taken within a year of the violation discovery.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • Introduction of Age Verification: This bill requires anonymous age verification for websites deemed harmful to minors.
  • Parental Consent for Social Media Use: The bill mandates explicit parental consent for teenagers aged 14 and 15 to participate on social media platforms.
  • Legal and Financial Penalties: Establishes financial penalties and liability for social media platforms that violate these new regulations, empowering the attorney general with enforcement authority.

Relevant Terms

  • Consumer protection
  • Minors
  • Social media
  • Age verification
  • Parental consent
  • Account termination
  • Personal information deletion
  • Penalties
  • Attorney general

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 16, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 16, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toCommerce and Consumer Protection

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Additional legal consequences for pattern of non-compliance are specified."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill addresses the imposition of punitive damages for social media platforms that consistently and recklessly fail to comply with regulations on minors' accounts, referring to section 549.20 for assessment guidelines.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "549.20"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Imposes civil penalties and allows recovery of attorney fees for violations."
      ],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill allows the attorney general to take action against social media platforms under the unfair or deceptive trade practices law, referencing section 8.31 for available remedies.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "8.31"
  }
]

Sponsors