SB 2787 requires Texas public school districts to incorporate digital citizenship and media literacy instruction for students in grades 6 through 12. The bill mandates curriculum covering social media impacts (including mental health effects and misinformation), online security, identifying credible sources, and respectful online discourse, with districts required to post materials online and notify parents. It also requires school districts to adopt Internet safety policies protecting students on school networks. This law directly affects all Texas public school students in middle and high school and their school districts. The policy changes focus on equipping students with practical skills for responsible online behavior through standardized curriculum requirements.
HB 5517 creates a legal remedy for individuals whose images are used without consent in sexually explicit AI-generated content. It allows users to sue social media platforms to remove such content after submitting a good-faith complaint, and successful claimants may recover attorney fees. The bill defines "artificially generated image or video" as AI-created content mimicking real people (including deepfakes), making distribution of such content illegal under amended Penal Code Section 21.165. It directly affects victims of non-consensual AI-generated explicit content, social media platforms, and those distributing such material.
HB 5496 requires businesses using artificial intelligence in Texas to be transparent with residents. It mandates that companies implement industry best practices, provide tools for individuals to detect AI use, explain AI-driven decisions, and prevent biased or discriminatory outcomes. The law directly affects businesses offering goods, services, social media, political ads, or financial services to Texas residents. Violations would be treated as deceptive trade practices under existing law, with the bill taking effect September 1, 2025.
HB 2874 requires large social media platforms (with over 1.5 million Texas users monthly) to attach metadata showing a file's origin, creation method, or history ("provenance data") to photos, videos, or audio files created on or posted to their platforms. If platforms cannot determine provenance data for a file, they must add a clear notice instead. The bill mandates that users can easily access this data or notice through the platform. It applies to all content types covered by the law and takes effect September 1, 2025. This directly affects major social media companies operating in Texas, not individual users.
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.
Texas Senate Bill 1626 clarifies that social media platforms operating in Texas must act as common carriers for digital expression, prohibiting discrimination in content moderation. It directly affects major social media platforms by requiring them to facilitate public debate without restricting content based on viewpoint. The bill amends the Business & Commerce Code to define "social media platform" and aims to prevent federal censorship through platforms, building on prior law H.B. 20. Its key provision mandates that platforms cannot unreasonably remove or restrict user content, ensuring equal access to digital public forums.
HB 186 prohibits children under 18 from using social media platforms in Texas, subject to federal law. The bill defines "social media platform" to exclude email, internet service providers, news websites, and interactive gaming platforms. Social media platforms must verify users are 18 or older before account creation using a reasonable method relying on public or private data, then delete all verification information immediately. This law directly affects children under 18 and social media companies operating in Texas.
HB 3133 requires social media platforms operating in Texas to create an easy-to-use complaint system for users reporting explicit deep fake material. The bill defines "explicit deep fake material" as AI-generated content falsely depicting real people in sexual acts or exposing intimate body parts. Platforms must provide clear, plain-language notice about this system and review complaints about such content within 48 hours (excluding weekends). This law directly affects major social media platforms by mandating specific procedures for handling these reports, without requiring content removal.
