The bill, H.B. No. 4456, introduces a new subchapter to the Business & Commerce Code that mandates social media platforms to verify the age of account holders. It defines key terms such as "account holder" and "child," with the latter referring to individuals under 18 years of age. The bill requires platforms to implement commercially reasonable methods for age verification, utilizing public or private data, and restricts the use of personal information obtained during this process solely for age verification. Furthermore, it mandates that such information must be deleted immediately after verification.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of social media platforms regarding the removal of accounts for minors upon request from a verified parent or guardian. Platforms must comply within ten days of receiving such requests and provide accessible means for guardians to make these requests. Violations of the age verification requirements, misuse of personal information, or failure to remove accounts as required will be classified as deceptive trade practices, subjecting the platforms to enforcement actions by the attorney general's consumer protection division. The provisions of this bill will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply to access to social media platforms starting January 1, 2026.

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