SPONSOR: Woods
The bill defines "content creator" as an individual who creates an image, audio content, or video content in exchange for compensation. A content creator includes, but is not limited to: vloggers, podcasters, social media influencers, or streamers. Under the bill, "restricted material" is defined as any material that is obscene, or depicts explicit sexual material, nudity, and sexually explicit conduct, as such terms are defined under Missouri statutes. The definition of "social media platform" is an internet-based service or application that has account holders in Missouri and meets the criteria detailed in the bill.
A minor is engaged in the work of content creation when the following criteria are met at any time during the previous twelve-month period:
(1) At least 30% of the content creator’s compensated image, audio content, or video content produced within a 30-day period includes the likeness, name or photograph of the minor;
(2) The number of views received per image, audio segment, or video content segment on any social media platform meets the social media platform's threshold to generate compensation or the content creator received actual compensation per image, audio segment, or video segment equal to or greater than 10 cents per view; and
(3) The content creator received actual compensation for image, audio segment, or video content of at least $25,000 during the prior 12-month period
A minor who is over the age of 13 can produce, create, and publish his or her own content and will be entitled to all compensation from the content.
Any content creator whose content features a minor engaged in content creation must maintain certain records, as provided in the bill, and retain the records until the minor reaches the age of 21. The content creator must provide notice to the minor of the existence of the records which are to be readily available to the minor.
A minor who is engaged in the work of content creation will be compensated by the content creator. The content creator will set aside gross earnings, as specified in the bill, on any content including, but not limited to, the likeness or name of the minor in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the minor upon the minor reaching 18 years of age.
After August 28, 2026, any individual who was featured in a content creator's post on a social media platform as a minor, can request that the content creator delete or edit the post to remove any content involving the minor. The content creator must delete or edit the post if the information provided by the individual is uniquely identifiable information.
Social media platforms will provide an easily accessible mechanism through which the individual can submit a request for the removal of the content featuring the minor. Social media platforms will notify the content creator within a reasonable time period, but no longer than 30 days, after receiving a removal request.
The content creator will delete or edit the post from the social media platform within 72 hours after receiving a notice of removal request from the social media platform. If the content creator fails to delete or edit the post involving the minor within 30 days after receiving the notice of removal request, the social media platform must take all reasonable steps to remove or edit the content involving the minor, subject to certain exceptions, as provided in the bill.
Under the bill, it is unlawful to financially benefit from intentionally or knowingly producing or distributing on social media any restricted material, involving a minor, subject to certain exceptions provided in the bill.
A social media platform will develop and implement a strategy to help mitigate risks related to monetization of restricted material involving minors. Requirements of the strategy are specified in the bill.
Any individual can report violations of the bill to the Attorney General. If the Attorney General finds that provisions of the bill have been violated, the Attorney General is authorized to bring a civil action.
Nothing in the bill precludes an individual from bringing a private civil action for any violations of the bill. This bill similar to HB 1818 (2026) and similar to HB 1245 (2025) and SB 756 (2025).
Statutes affected: