New York Safe by Design Act (Age Checks for Social Features)
New York, United StatesHigh threat- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- Became Law
Stage 4 of 4: Became Law
New York's Safe by Design Act blocks messaging, profile viewing, tagging and other core social features until a platform checks the user's age, and bans self-declared age.
Latest update
Passed the Assembly and signed as Chapter 58 of 2026
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Take action on this issueWhat it does
Part Y of the 2026 state budget adds General Business Law Article 45-B, effective January 1, 2027. Covered platforms, meaning sites and apps with profiles, private messaging and either shared media or games with real-money purchases, may not offer private messaging, full profile viewing, replies to or downloads of other users' media, tagging or location viewing until they check the user's age, and the same condition applies to integrated AI companions and in-game purchases. Users found to be minors get defaults that block unconnected adults from contacting or viewing them, which parents can override, and AI companions are off for minors by default. Until the Attorney General writes rules, platforms must use SAFE for Kids Act methods, may not accept self-declared age, and must offer more than one method, including one that does not rely on government ID or that keeps the user anonymous to the operator; the Attorney General can seek civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.
What’s at stake
The features behind the gate are the basic functions of a social platform, so adults in New York will have to pass an age check to send a direct message or open a full profile. Banning self-declaration removes the one option that collects nothing.
Our take
New York's SAFE for Kids Act already put feeds behind an age check; this law extends the checkpoint to talking to people. The required non-ID option still means a face scan or a data-driven estimate for adults who only want to send a message.
Timeline
Article 45-B takes effectUpcoming
Passed the Assembly and signed as Chapter 58 of 2026Latest
C-print of the budget bill introduced
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