Gov. Hochul Proposes Policies To Protect Children Online

Governor Kathy Hochul announces proposals to protect kids online, restrict AI chatbots and combat the youth mental health crisis

Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing policies to help protect children from online predators, scammers and harmful AI chatbots integrated on online platforms. As part of her upcoming State of the State address, Hochul is also proposing a first-of-its-kind, statewide expansion of Teen Mental Health First Aid training, designed to give young people the tools to identify, understand, and effectively respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges among their friends and peers.

These proposals build on Governor Hochul’s work to ban smartphones in schools, enact social media warning labels, restrict addictive feeds, and create safeguards against harmful AI companions.

Numerous lawsuits and investigations have alleged that online platforms have not taken appropriate steps to protect the children using them. These online platforms allow children and adults to contact each other worldwide — which Hochul says leaves children susceptible to grooming, child abuse, and exposure to violent and inappropriate content, including suicide.

The Governor’s proposed legislative package to keep kids safe from emerging threats on social media and online gaming platforms will include:

• Expanding Age Verification: Expanding requirements for platforms to conduct age verification, including online game platforms.
• Privacy by Default: Kids will be set to the highest privacy settings on covered platforms by default, meaning non-connections cannot message kids, view their profile, or tag them in content. Location settings will be turned off by default, and children under 13 must receive parental approval for new connections.

• Disabling AI Chatbot Features: Disabling certain AI chatbot features on social media platforms for kids.
• Parental Controls: Parents must be able to set limits on children’s financial transactions.

This package draws on existing legislation sponsored by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic.