Technology (Social Media) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1939: Authorizes executor or administrator to take control of online accounts of deceased person.

This bill grants executors or administrators of an estate legal authority to manage the online accounts (including social media, email, and microblogging services) of a deceased person. It directly affects estate executors, families, and digital service providers by clarifying that these officials can access, delete, or administer such accounts without requiring additional court orders in all cases. The key provision explicitly permits these actions where otherwise legally authorized, aligning with similar laws in Oklahoma and other jurisdictions. The bill does not create new requirements but clarifies existing authority under probate procedures.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jun 30, 2026

S 3413: "New Jersey Kids Code Act"; adopts New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code and requires certain online service providers to implement certain measures concerning minors' use of online service.*

S 3413, the "New Jersey Kids Code Act," requires online services likely accessed by minors to implement age-appropriate design standards. It directly affects major platforms with significant child users (like social media and gaming services), mandating default privacy settings that protect minors and prohibiting the use of their data for harmful purposes. Key provisions include designing products with children’s developmental needs in mind, preventing exposure to harmful content, and ensuring data practices don’t negatively impact minors’ well-being. The law adopts New Jersey’s version of an "Age-Appropriate Design Code" to create safer online experiences for children.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Digital Government Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2532: Provides penalties for sexually offensive or abusive communication through social networking website.

This New Jersey bill, the "Social Networking Safety Act" (A 2532), prohibits transmitting sexually offensive communications (like sexual solicitations or obscene material) to children under 13 or teens aged 13-15 who are at least four years younger than the sender. It also bans abusive communications (threats, intimidation, or harassment) directed at anyone under 18 on social media. Violators face civil penalties: $1,000 plus fees to the platform operator per violation, and up to $5,000 plus fees or actual damages (including medical costs, counseling, or emotional harm) to the victim. Social media platforms must quickly suspend users who violate these rules upon receiving reports, or face liability unless they have a clear, accessible reporting system for such violations.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Online Safety Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

AR 12: Urges Congress and President of US to enact "Kids Online Safety Act."

This is a procedural resolution (not a bill), not a law. It urges Congress and the President to enact the federal "Kids Online Safety Act" (KOSA), which would require social media platforms to prevent addictive design features, expand parental controls, and block harmful content for minors. The resolution directly affects children and teens (ages 8-17) by advocating for federal policy changes to address mental health concerns linked to social media use. It has no binding effect and serves only as a symbolic request to federal lawmakers.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Online Safety Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4422: The "Digital Impersonation Prevention Act."

The "Digital Impersonation Prevention Act" (A4422) makes it a crime to knowingly impersonate a real person online without their consent, specifically when done to harm others, send unsolicited spam or ads, or access their personal contact list. It criminalizes creating fake email or social media accounts in someone else's name, altering digital messages to appear as if they came from another person, or using impersonation to transmit unsolicited commercial messages. Violators face fines up to $1,000, up to one year in jail, or both. Victims can also sue for $500 per incident plus additional damages and seek court orders to stop the impersonation. The law does not hold internet service providers liable unless they personally commit the impersonation.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Social Media

signed · New Jersey · General Assembly Aug 11, 2026

A 4015: "New Jersey Kids Code Act"; adopts New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code and requires certain online service providers to implement certain measures concerning minors' use of online service.*

New Jersey Assembly Bill 4015, the "New Jersey Kids Code Act," requires major online services (like social media and games) that minors are likely to use to set default privacy settings to the highest protection level for children. It prohibits these services from showing targeted ads to minors, using manipulative design tricks to change privacy settings, collecting certain personal data without clear consent, or promoting restricted products to children. The bill also mandates annual public reports detailing how these platforms protect minors’ privacy, their data practices, safety tools for parents, and how much time children spend on their services. This law directly affects large online platforms operating in New Jersey, not small websites or services not used by minors.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Data Privacy Digital Government Social Media

signed · New Jersey · General Assembly Aug 11, 2026

A 4014: Establishes Social Media Research Center at four-year public institution of higher education.

This bill establishes a Social Media Research Center at a New Jersey four-year public university selected by the Higher Education Secretary. The center will conduct research on social media's effects on youth mental health, develop online safety resources for public schools, and provide recommendations to state agencies. It will also administer grants for social media research using a peer-reviewed process modeled after the NIH, and require annual reports on its work. The bill directly affects New Jersey public universities (as hosts), public schools (through educational resources), and state agencies (by requiring data sharing).

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Higher Education Mental Health Online Safety Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jun 30, 2026

A 4013: Requires Social Media Research Center to research and make recommendations concerning addictive social media behaviors.*

This bill requires social media platforms with significant user activity in New Jersey to display prominent warning labels about mental health risks during account sign-up and when users access certain features. It specifically targets platforms that allow social interaction (like profile creation and content sharing) and directly affects minors under 18, as defined by the bill. The warnings must highlight risks identified by the U.S. Surgeon General, including links between heavy social media use and increased depression, anxiety, and sleep disruption in youth. Platforms must comply with these labeling requirements to inform users and families about potential harms. The bill does not impose additional restrictions beyond the warning labels.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Mental Health Social Media

died · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 448: Upgrades to third degree crime for cyber-harassment of public servant or family member of public servant; establishes Office of Cyber-Harassment Support in DLPS; appropriates funds.

This bill (S 448) upgrades penalties for cyber-harassment targeting public servants or their family members, elevating it to a third-degree crime (a higher-level criminal charge) from the previous fourth-degree classification. It creates a new Office of Cyber-Harassment Support within the state Department of Law and Public Safety to coordinate education, victim support, and prevention programs statewide. The office will work with law enforcement, schools, and social media platforms to improve reporting systems, develop awareness campaigns, and provide counseling for victims. The bill also appropriates state funds for the office’s implementation and includes provisions for parental accountability if minors commit cyber-harassment. (Note: The bill was withdrawn after being approved as P.L.2025, c.303.)

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Social Media

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Jan 13, 2026

S 861: Establishes certain requirements for social media websites concerning content moderation practices; establishes cause of action against social media websites for violation of content moderation practices.

This New Jersey bill requires large social media platforms (defined as those with at least $100 million in annual revenue and 100 million global monthly users) to publicly explain their content moderation rules and apply them consistently. It mandates that platforms notify users before removing content or imposing long-term account bans, provide data on how many people viewed a user's posts, and allow users to opt out of algorithm-driven content sorting. The bill also prohibits platforms from using algorithms to censor or ban candidates for public office during election periods and protects news organizations from content-based censorship. Violations would allow affected users or entities to pursue legal action under New Jersey's consumer fraud law.

Topics ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence Social Media

All technology bills