Substitute House Bill No. 6857 aims to enhance the protection of minors on social media platforms by establishing guidelines for "covered operators," which are defined as those managing platforms that recommend or prioritize user-generated media. The bill defines "covered minors" as users under eighteen and prohibits operators from allowing these minors to access recommended content based on user information without obtaining verifiable consent from a parent or guardian. It also outlines exceptions for recommendations based on privacy settings or specific user requests. Additionally, the bill mandates default settings that limit minors' access to recommended content to one hour per day and restricts notifications to specific hours unless parental consent is provided. Operators must also delete any information collected for age verification or consent purposes immediately after use.

The legislation further requires covered operators to verify the age of users before granting access to personalized content and to treat users as minors if they have actual knowledge of a user's age. It imposes restrictions on notifications related to personalized suggestions outside designated hours without parental consent and mandates annual disclosures regarding user statistics and consent rates. The bill clarifies that it does not impose additional liabilities inconsistent with the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and includes new provisions regarding parental access to a minor's account while deleting previous language that implied broader access. The effective date for these regulations is set for January 1, 2027, with certain exemptions for governmental entities and platforms focused on selling goods or educational purposes.