HB 3160 requires Texas public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt internet safety policies that comply with federal law (Children's Internet Protection Act) and mandate vendors to certify they won't provide obscene or harmful content to minors. It also requires schools to create a public process for reporting and responding to internet safety concerns, with annual reports submitted to the education agency. Public libraries must adopt similar policies protecting minors accessing online resources, including vendor certifications. Non-compliant school districts face withheld state funding under Chapters 46 and 48 until they meet the requirements.
HB 421 creates new rules for deep fake generators (websites/apps that let users create AI-generated images/videos). It requires age verification before making explicit deep fakes (depicting real people in sexual or intimate acts), bans creation for anyone under 18, and mandates written consent from people 18+ depicted. Victims or their guardians can sue generators for damages, including mental anguish, attorney fees, and punitive damages. The law directly affects deep fake platforms and individuals whose images are used without consent, particularly minors and those targeted with non-consensual explicit content. It takes effect September 1, 2025.
This bill requires digital service providers (like social media platforms) to set default privacy and usage settings for accounts of known minor users (under 18). Default settings include limiting daily usage to one hour, blocking unsolicited messages from strangers, preventing comments/reactions on minors' posts, hiding friend lists publicly, and disabling algorithmic content suggestions. Verified parents can adjust these settings using provided parental tools to control privacy, usage time, and financial transactions. The law directly affects digital services used by minors and their parents in Texas.
