Technology (Social Media)

failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 978: Relating to: online services accessed by minors, minors’ personal data, and granting rule-making authority.

SB 978 requires online services likely accessed by minors (like social media or games) to design features that protect young users. It prohibits features causing "compulsive use" (e.g., endless scrolling) and restricts collecting sensitive data like biometrics or genetic information without clear consent. Businesses must set default privacy settings to the most protective level for minors and cannot use algorithmic recommendations to target them in ways that disrupt daily activities. The law also gives state agencies authority to create rules for identifying minors and enforcing these requirements, applying to businesses generating most revenue from online services in the state.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires stricter data privacy protections for minors, prohibits compulsive features, and mandates default privacy settings for online services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Online Safety Social Media

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 939: Relating to: artificial intelligence systems that simulate humanlike relationships with children and providing a penalty.

SB 939 prohibits operators of "companion chatbots" (AI systems designed to simulate ongoing, personalized relationships with users) from making these tools available to children under 18 without specific safety measures. It requires such chatbots to avoid encouraging self-harm, replacing professional mental health care, promoting illegal activity, sharing explicit content, prioritizing validation over safety, or optimizing engagement beyond safety features. Operators face civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation per day, and affected children or their guardians may sue for damages. The law exempts customer service bots, internal business tools, and research systems, and includes a 2027 implementation deadline.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits AI from replacing professional mental health care, protecting existing services by preventing harm to patient access and safety.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts AI companion chatbots for children without safety measures, requiring avoidance of harmful behaviors and imposing penalties.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Artificial Intelligence Online Safety Social Media

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 933: Relating to: requiring social media platforms to provide mental health warnings and providing a penalty.

SB 933 requires social media platforms serving users in this state to display a clear mental health warning each time a user accesses the platform. The warning must note potential negative mental health effects and provide access to crisis resources like the 988 suicide hotline. Platforms cannot hide the warning, make it less visible, or disable it except under specified conditions. Violations could result in fines up to $5,000 per incident or lawsuits by affected users seeking damages or injunctions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires social media platforms to display mental health warnings and provide crisis resource access (e.g., 988), directly advancing mental health service accessibility and user protection.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates mental health warnings on social media platforms to protect users from negative effects, aligning with consumer protection regulations for tech companies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Social Media

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 936: Relating to: social media accounts for minors and providing a penalty.

SB 936 requires major social media platforms (with $1 billion+ annual revenue) to estimate the age of users who spend significant time on their service. After 25 hours of use within six months, platforms must determine if a user is under 18 with 80% confidence; if unsure, they must treat the user as a minor. For minors, platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information and disable features like infinite scrolling and profile-based feeds. The bill directly affects minors under 18 using covered platforms in the state, imposing specific data handling and feature restrictions.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates parental consent for minors' data collection and restricts addictive features, directly protecting minors' data privacy on social media platforms.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy Social Media

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 954: Relating to: requiring the Department of Justice to conduct a public awareness campaign. (FE)

SB 954 requires the Department of Justice to create and run a public awareness campaign focused on children's online safety. The campaign will educate parents and caregivers about internet risks for children and share practical steps to prevent exposure to harmful content, using digital platforms (websites, social media, newsletters) and print materials. Schools, as defined by statute, can request free copies of the campaign materials upon request. The bill does not create new funding or penalties, but mandates existing agency resources for this specific outreach effort.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyEducates parents on preventing children's exposure to harmful online content, aligning with data privacy and cybersecurity protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Online Safety Social Media

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signed · Wisconsin · Assembly Apr 9, 2026

AB 966: Relating to: requiring the Department of Justice to conduct a public awareness campaign. (FE)

AB 966 requires the Department of Justice to create and run a public awareness campaign focused on children's online safety. The campaign must use digital platforms (like the department’s website and social media) and print materials to educate families about internet risks and prevention steps for children. It specifically mandates that the Department provide free educational materials to schools (as defined in statute 118.257(1)(d)) upon request. The bill directly affects children and schools by promoting accessible resources to help prevent exposure to harmful online content.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates free educational materials for schools on online safety, directly enhancing student safety resources and supporting school programs per statute 118.257(1)(d).90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates DOJ to run digital safety campaign for children, enhancing cybersecurity education and digital rights protection via school materials and online platforms.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Online Safety Social Media

passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 963: Relating to: social media accounts for minors and providing a penalty.

AB 963 requires large social media platforms (with $1 billion+ annual revenue) to identify users under 18 and obtain parental permission before collecting their personal data. After a user spends 25 hours on the platform within six months, companies must estimate age with 80% confidence; if uncertain, they must treat the user as a minor. Platforms must then get verifiable parental consent for data collection, including location, browsing history, and biometric information. This bill directly affects minors under 18 in the state and major social media companies operating there, focusing on data handling rather than restricting access to platforms.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires parental consent for minor data collection on social media, strengthening data privacy protections for minors - aligns with technology policy focus on privacy regulation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy Social Media

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failed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 960: Relating to: requiring social media platforms to provide mental health warnings and providing a penalty.

AB 960 requires most social media platforms operating in the state to display a clear, prominent mental health warning each time a user in the state accesses the platform. The warning must inform users about potential negative mental health effects and provide access to crisis resources like the 988 suicide hotline. It applies to platforms defined as user-generated content services (excluding search engines, email, business communication tools, and streaming services), and prohibits hiding warnings in terms of service or allowing users to disable them without specific conditions. Violations may result in fines up to $5,000 per incident, enforced by state departments.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires mental health warnings and crisis resource links (e.g., 988), directly promoting access to mental health support services per bill's mandate.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires social media platforms to warn users about mental health risks and provide crisis resources, regulating tech companies for consumer protection as per topic indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Social Media

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passed · Wisconsin · Assembly Mar 23, 2026

AB 962: Relating to: app stores and app developers and providing a penalty.

AB 962 requires app store providers to verify the age of users creating accounts in the state and link accounts of minors (under 18) to parent accounts. Before minors can purchase apps, make in-app purchases, or download apps, providers must obtain explicit parental consent after disclosing age ratings, content descriptions, and data practices. The bill also mandates that providers notify parents of significant app changes (like new in-app purchases or privacy shifts) affecting apps downloaded by minors. This directly affects minors using app stores, their parents, and app store operators like Apple or Google.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates parental consent and data disclosures for minors' app usage, strengthening data privacy protections for children as per bill's requirements on age verification and disclosure of data practices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Social Media

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failed · Wisconsin · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 758: Relating to: social media platforms’ treatment of minors and providing a penalty. (FE)

SB 758 restricts how social media platforms handle users under 18 in the state, directly affecting platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook that allow minors to create profiles. The bill prohibits platforms from collecting or using minors' data for personalized content recommendations, algorithmic prioritization, or targeted advertising, while requiring age verification through approved methods. Platforms must also stop showing targeted ads to minors and may only use limited data for account maintenance. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, enforced by the state department of justice or affected individuals.

Topics ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRestricts social media data collection and targeted ads for minors, strengthening data privacy protections under technology policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Online Safety Social Media

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