Substitute House Bill No. 6857 aims to enhance protections for minors under eighteen using social media platforms by establishing guidelines for "covered operators," which are entities managing platforms that recommend or prioritize user-generated content. The bill prohibits these operators from allowing minors to access personalized content based on user information without obtaining verifiable consent from a parent or guardian. It also mandates default settings that limit minors' access to certain features and restricts notifications related to personalized suggestions to specific hours unless parental consent is provided. Additionally, the bill requires operators to delete any information collected for age verification or consent purposes immediately after use, with exceptions for compliance with federal or state laws.

The legislation introduces new provisions regarding age verification, allowing operators to presume a user is not a minor if age cannot be verified but mandates treating a user as a minor if the operator has actual knowledge of the user's age. It also specifies that age verification is not necessary under certain conditions, such as when algorithms are based on non-persistent information. The bill requires annual public disclosures from operators about user statistics and consent rates, while clarifying that it does not impose additional liabilities inconsistent with the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Notably, the bill includes an insertion that specifies there is no requirement for parental access to a minor's account or associated data unless explicitly stated, while delaying the effective date to January 1, 2027, and exempting certain governmental entities and educational platforms from being classified as covered operators.