The Arkansas Kids Online Safety Act aims to enhance the protection of minors in online environments by establishing a regulatory framework for platforms that provide services to children. The Act introduces definitions for key terms such as "child," "covered platform," and "individual-specific advertising to minors," and mandates that these platforms implement reasonable measures to prevent harm to minors, addressing issues like mental health, online bullying, and the promotion of harmful substances. It requires platforms to provide safeguards for minors, including limiting communication, controlling personalized recommendations, and ensuring parental oversight, while also prohibiting the advertising of certain products, such as narcotics and alcohol, to minors.

Additionally, the Act establishes the Kids Online Safety Council within the Department of Commerce to identify risks to minors and recommend mitigation measures. It introduces transparency requirements for algorithmic ranking systems, ensuring that platforms communicate clearly about how these algorithms operate and the data they utilize. The bill also mandates that platforms offer user options for opting out of certain features and provides exemptions for smaller search engines. Violations of the Act will be treated as unfair or deceptive acts under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and while platforms are not required to collect personal data regarding users' ages, they must comply with legal inquiries and ensure that video streaming services implement specific criteria to protect minors.