This bill requires online platforms, video games, messaging apps, and streaming services to implement privacy-focused default settings and allow parents to manage their minor children's accounts. It defines "covered platforms" as internet-based services that facilitate user interaction, while excluding common carriers, email providers, and professional networking sites. The law specifically targets minors under 17 and gives the Attorney General authority to enforce compliance, though platforms can correct violations before facing penalties.
HB 924, the "Safe Kids Act," creates a new civil legal remedy allowing parents or legal guardians of minors depicted in or exposed to child exploitation material to sue online platforms directly. It prohibits platforms from knowingly distributing such material - including AI-generated images defined as "computer-generated" under the law - and requires them to remove it. The bill updates definitions to explicitly include AI-created images in child pornography laws and increases the age threshold for victims in certain criminal cases. This allows civil lawsuits for damages (including attorney fees) without needing prior criminal convictions, targeting platforms that facilitate distribution rather than just criminalizing possession.
HB 1179, the Consumer Protection - Application Store Accountability Act, requires app store providers (like Apple App Store or Google Play) and developers operating in Maryland to implement age verification for minors under 18 and obtain verified parental consent before enabling certain transactions. It mandates clear disclosures about an app's age rating and content description to parents before purchases, prohibits enforcing contracts with minors without verified consent, and bans misleading parental consent disclosures. The bill also authorizes Maryland's Consumer Protection Division to enforce these rules under the state's consumer protection laws. This directly affects app stores, developers, parents, and minors using mobile apps in Maryland.
SB 989 (Safe Kids Act) creates a civil cause of action allowing parents or legal guardians of minors depicted in unlawful child exploitation material to sue online platforms that knowingly distribute such material. The bill defines "unlawful child exploitation material" to include AI-generated images that appear indistinguishable from real children, criminalizing platforms that knowingly issue, sell, or distribute these materials. It establishes remedies including actual damages, attorney fees, and punitive damages for affected families, while exempting platforms acting solely as transmission services. The law applies to social media, apps, and websites that create or distribute content featuring minors in sexual situations, including AI-generated depictions.
HB 693 creates a legal pathway for minors or their parents to sue commercial websites that knowingly distribute obscene material online to minors. It requires these entities to use reasonable age verification methods (like government ID or commercial systems) to confirm users are 18+ before accessing such content and prohibits retaining any user identifying information after verification. The bill excludes news organizations and internet service providers from these requirements. If a commercial entity violates these rules, affected individuals can seek damages for minors accessing obscene material or for improper retention of personal data. This law directly impacts websites hosting adult content and aims to protect minors from exposure to obscene material online.
