SPONSOR: Murray
This bill establishes the "Missouri Social Media Safety for Minors Act".
It prohibits a minor who is under 14 years of age from creating or maintaining an account; minors who are 14 years of age and under 16 years of age may hold an account only with the verified consent of a parent or legal guardian.
The bill allows for social media platforms to permit the creation of an account, but such platforms must provide parents or guardians with the option to:
(1) Access and review account activity;
(2) Request deletion of the minor's account; and
(3) Limit messaging features between the minor and unverified adult accounts.
The bill requires social media platforms to implement a secure age-verification process for all Missouri users prior to the creation of an account, and sets parameters for permissible age- verification techniques. Social media platforms are required to immediately terminate any account found to belong to a person under 14 years of age.
If a verified parent or guardian requests deletion of a minor's account, the social media platform must comply within 10 business days of receiving such a request.
The bill prohibits social media platforms from:
(1) Using addictive or manipulative design features specifically targeting minors;
(2) Permitting direct messaging from adults to minors unless the adult is a verified contact; or
(3) Serving targeted advertising to minors based on personal data or behavioral profiling.
A violation of the provisions of this bill constitutes an unlawful merchandising practice under current law. The Attorney General can enforce the provisions of this bill and seek civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation, plus injunctive relief and attorney's fees. A parent or legal guardian of a minor harmed by a violation can bring a civil action for damages.
Statutes affected: