Technology (Online Safety)

SB 2398 requires large social media platforms (with 10 million+ monthly U.S. users) to implement systems allowing users to report unmarked or improperly age-restricted content harmful to minors. Platforms must acknowledge reports within 48 hours, act within seven business days (e.g., remove content or apply age restrictions), and publish semi-annual transparency reports detailing their responses. Parents or legal guardians of minors can sue platforms for failing to address repeated reports of unmarked harmful content, seeking up to $5,000 per violation, while the state attorney general may also enforce compliance through fines. The bill directly affects major online platforms and aims to improve content safety for minors through mandatory reporting systems and accountability measures.

SB 2400 clarifies that Tennessee's Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 does not apply to materials available through the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL). The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 49-6-3803 and 10-1-301 to explicitly exclude TEL resources from the Act's requirements. This directly affects the TEL's digital collection, ensuring its materials (like e-books and databases) remain exempt from age-appropriate content restrictions. The key provision adds a specific exemption to the law's coverage, maintaining access to these educational resources without requiring age verification. The bill does not change the Act's application to other public or school libraries.

HB 2522 requires large commercial online platforms (with 10 million+ monthly U.S. active users) to implement systems letting users report unmarked or improperly age-restricted content harmful to minors. Platforms must acknowledge reports within 48 hours, review them within 7 business days, and take action like removal or age restriction. They must also publish semi-annual transparency reports detailing report volumes and resolutions, and face private lawsuits by parents if they fail to act on repeated reports - potentially resulting in $5,000 per violation. The bill targets platforms that permit harmful content without effective age verification, directly affecting major social media and app companies. The bill is currently in committee review (Commerce Committee) after initial filing.

SB 2171, the "Artificial Intelligence Public Safety and Child Protection Transparency Act," requires developers of powerful AI systems ("frontier developers") to implement safety protocols for specific AI chatbots. It directly affects companies creating AI models trained with over 10^26 computing operations that power chatbots with at least 1 million monthly users and likely accessed by minors. Key provisions mandate documented "child safety plans" to prevent harm (like generating dangerous content or causing severe emotional distress in minors) and require risk assessments for "catastrophic risks" (e.g., AI enabling weapons or cyberattacks without human oversight). The bill defines terms like "child safety incident" and sets thresholds for applicability, focusing on transparency and risk mitigation for high-impact AI systems.

HB 1898, the "Artificial Intelligence Public Safety and Child Protection Transparency Act," requires large AI developers to implement safety measures for high-risk systems. It directly affects "frontier developers" (those training AI models using over 10^26 computing operations) and "large chatbot providers" (services with over 1 million monthly users likely accessed by minors). Key provisions mandate documented "child safety plans" to prevent harm to minors, reporting of "critical safety incidents" (like model leaks or AI causing mass harm), and defining "catastrophic risks" (e.g., AI aiding weapons creation or enabling severe cyberattacks). The law focuses on transparency and risk mitigation for AI systems posing significant public safety or child protection threats.

SB 538, the "Autism Spectrum Online Protection Act," creates new protections for autistic young adults (ages 18-25) under court-appointed conservatorship. It makes it a Class A misdemeanor to use online platforms to groom, sextort, or sexually exploit this group - defined as building trust to commit abuse. The law requires online platforms to implement policies preventing such exploitation and gives conservators/families tools to monitor online safety. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.