The General Assembly Raised Bill No. 344 aims to enhance children's safety by mandating that a parent or guardian must provide affirmative consent before a child's likeness can be used for marketing or advertising purposes on social media. The bill defines "affirmative consent" as a written agreement allowing for the photographing or video recording of a child for promotional use. It establishes that no person or organization, including local or regional boards of education and charter schools, can use a child's name, image, or likeness without this consent. Additionally, the bill prohibits denying or limiting a child's participation in activities or services based on the absence of such consent.

The bill introduces new legal language that specifies the definitions of "agreement," "person," and "social media," and outlines the responsibilities of individuals and educational institutions regarding the use of children's likenesses. The provisions of the bill will take effect on October 1, 2026, for general applications and on July 1, 2026, specifically for educational entities. The intent of the legislation is to protect children's rights and privacy in the digital age by ensuring that parents or guardians have control over how their children's images are used online.