This bill mandates that manufacturers of electronic tablets and smartphones install filters on their devices to prevent minors from accessing obscene material. It establishes civil liability for manufacturers that fail to install these filters and imposes both civil and criminal penalties on those who intentionally disable a filter to allow minors access to such material. The bill introduces a new chapter, RSA 507-I, which defines key terms such as "device," "filter," "manufacturer," and "obscene material," and outlines the requirements for the filters, including automatic activation based on the user's age and the ability for non-minor users to deactivate the filter with a password.

Additionally, the bill allows parents or legal guardians to bring civil actions against individuals or manufacturers who disable filters, with potential damages including actual damages, liquidated damages, and attorney's fees. It also specifies that manufacturers who do not comply with the filter requirements may face actions from the attorney general under the Consumer Protection Act. The bill includes a new section that classifies the intentional disabling of a filter as a class B felony if it results in a minor accessing obscene material. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 507-H:4