Minnesota bans addictive social media features for under-16 users
Gov. Tim Walz signed a law that bars addictive social-media features for users under 16 and requires verified parental consent before child accounts can be created or kept in Minnesota.[1]
The measure, House File 4138, amends the Stop Harms From Addictive Social Media statute.[1] Platforms must obtain verified parental consent and make reasonable efforts to identify under-16 users.[1] All child accounts must default to the highest privacy settings, and parents get tools to monitor use, set limits, and request deletion.[1] The law bars specific features on child accounts — examples listed include infinite scroll, autoplay video, and push notifications — and it prohibits targeted paid commercial ads aimed at kids.[1] Enforcement will be handled by the Minnesota attorney general, who may pursue legal action against platforms that violate the law.[1]
HF 4138 builds on Minnesota's existing SHASM framework by adding parental-consent requirements and explicit feature bans for child accounts.[1] Minnesotareformer reported Gov. Walz signed the bill, and supporters framed the measure as a response to youth mental-health concerns and harmful online environments.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- HF 4138 amends the Stop Harms From Addictive Social Media (SHASM) statute, according to Fox 9’s May 26, 2026 report. HF 4138
- Platforms must obtain verified parental consent before allowing under‑16 users to create or keep accounts and must make reasonable efforts to identify child users. verified parental consent
- All child accounts must default to the highest privacy settings, and parents are given tools to monitor use, set limits, and request deletion of their child’s account. highest privacy settings
- The law bars specific addictive features for child accounts—listed examples include infinite scroll, autoplay video, and push notifications—and also bans targeted paid commercial ads aimed at kids. infinite scroll
- The Minnesota Attorney General is charged with overseeing enforcement and may pursue legal action against platforms that violate the law. Minnesota Attorney General
- On the record quotes from Gov. Walz and the Annunciation Light Alliance frame the measure as a response to youth mental‑health concerns and harmful online environments. Gov. Walz
📰 Source Timeline (2)
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- Identifies the bill number as HF 4138 and specifies that it amends the existing Stop Harms From Addictive Social Media (SHASM) statute.
- Spells out that platforms must obtain verified parental consent before allowing under‑16 users to create or keep accounts and must make reasonable efforts to identify child users.
- Details that all child accounts must default to the highest privacy settings and that parents will gain tools to monitor, limit use, and request deletion of their child’s account.
- Enumerates specific "addictive" features banned for child accounts: infinite scroll, autoplay video, and push notifications, along with a ban on targeted paid commercial ads aimed at kids.
- Clarifies that the Minnesota Attorney General will oversee enforcement and can pursue legal action against platforms that violate the law.
- Includes new on‑the‑record quotes from Gov. Walz and the Annunciation Light Alliance framing the law as a response to youth mental‑health concerns and harmful online environments.