Overview
- Attorney General Letitia James and Gov. Kathy Hochul released the final rules Tuesday requiring platforms to verify age before showing algorithmically personalized feeds or sending push notifications to accounts of people under 18.
- The rules apply to so-called addictive online platforms defined by user-generated content and where at least 20 percent of user time is spent on algorithmic feeds over six months, with Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, X and YouTube named as covered examples.
- Platforms must offer at least two approved age-check options—such as government ID, an uploaded image or video, or email/phone cross-checks—meet accuracy benchmarks for detection, and immediately delete or de-identify verification data after use.
- Underage users must request access to walled-off features and platforms may seek parental consent that either parent or the minor can later revoke, and companies may not block non-age-gated search access if consent is withheld.
- Enforcement begins Jan. 25, 2027 after a six-month compliance window, violations carry fines up to $5,000 each, and industry groups have signaled they will likely challenge the rules in court against a backdrop of mixed judicial decisions in other states.