Technology (Social Media)

This bill prohibits businesses and entities from banning or censoring users on free online platforms, which it defines as digital public squares. It requires these platforms to allow users to assemble and express speech without restrictions like shadow banning, algorithmic suppression, or throttling, unless state or federal laws are violated. The law allows platforms to terminate access entirely but forbids them from creating community standards or contracts that restrict user speech or content. Violations could result in users suing for actual and punitive damages, while advertising remains permitted as an exception to the restrictions.

This bill prohibits content providers from making child sexual abuse material accessible to people in Montana and bars them from profiting from distributing such content to Montanans. It defines "content providers" as those who create, publish, or distribute online content, while excluding basic hosting services and general web browsers. The law allows victims, the Department of Justice, and private individuals to sue for violations, with a 50-year statute of limitations for victim-initiated cases. Remedies available include court orders to stop the behavior, monetary compensation, and punitive damages, with provisions for sharing damages among multiple victims.

This bill, Montana's Social Media Youth Protection Act (LC 3686), requires social media companies to implement three key safeguards for minors under 18. First, companies must use an "age-assurance system" with at least 95% accuracy to identify minors. Second, they must obtain parental consent for minors' data privacy settings and provide tools for parents to monitor accounts. Third, companies must offer supervisory features for minor account holders to help prevent excessive use linked to mental health risks, sleep disruption, and academic impacts. The law directly affects social media platforms operating in Montana and their minor users and parents.

HB 392, known as the "Child Digital Protection Act," revises laws concerning profitable family video content featuring minor children. It requires content creators who meet specific profit and content thresholds to contribute a percentage of their gross earnings into a trust for the minor child, accessible once the child reaches 18 years of age. Additionally, the bill grants individuals who were featured as minors in such content the right to request the permanent deletion of those video segments from online platforms upon reaching the age of majority.

HB 925, the "Social Media Youth Protection Act," requires social media companies operating in Montana to implement systems that accurately identify minors (with 95% accuracy) and provide parental consent for data privacy settings. It mandates supervisory tools for minor account holders and restricts algorithmically curated services that use engagement-driven features like autoplay or endless scrolling. The bill directly affects social media companies and minors under 18, aiming to reduce excessive use linked to mental health risks by giving parents control over data and content exposure. Key provisions include age-assurance systems, parental consent for data privacy, and penalties for non-compliance, with definitions clarifying terms like "excessive use" and "algorithmically curated services."

This bill would prevent social media platforms and other free online spaces (called "digital public squares") from removing users or censoring their content without legal justification. It bans actions like shadowbanning, algorithmic suppression, or restricting content visibility, while allowing platforms to show advertisements. Users could sue platforms for damages if they violate these rules. The law applies specifically to free digital platforms, not paid services, and defines key terms like "deplatforming" as removing users without their request.