New York Attorney General Letitia James released final rules implementing the SAFE for Kids Act, which requires social media companies to restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under 18 unless they obtain parental consent. The rules establish age assurance standards, parental consent procedures, and data minimization requirements, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation for noncompliance.
Social media companies must implement age assurance methods meeting accuracy benchmarks, offer at least one alternative to government ID, delete or de-identify age data immediately after use, and conduct annual testing with results retained for 10 years. Parental consent must be obtained for addictive feeds and nighttime notifications, and minors can withdraw consent at any time. The OAG may seek civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation and injunctive relief.
In-house legal teams should review their platform terms of service, privacy policies, and data processing agreements to ensure compliance with the SAFE for Kids Act. Key clauses to update include age verification mechanisms, parental consent workflows, data minimization and deletion obligations for age assurance data, and restrictions on algorithmic feeds and nighttime notifications for minors. Vendor agreements with age verification service providers should include accuracy benchmarks, annual testing requirements, and data protection provisions. Customer-facing agreements (terms of service) must clearly explain how minors can opt out of addictive feeds and how parents can grant or withdraw consent.
Entity
New York State Office of the Attorney General
Industry
Social MediaOfficial Press Release
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-and-governor-hochul-release-final-safe-kids-act-rules
safe for kids act final rule
https://ag.ny.gov/safe-for-kids-act-final-rule
safe for kids act nprm
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/regulatory-documents/safe-for-kids-act-nprm.pdf
protecting children online
https://ag.ny.gov/resources/individuals/consumer-issues/technology/protecting-children-online
New York Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://ag.ny.gov/press-releases
"New York Attorney General Letitia James"
"civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation"
"SAFE for Kids Act"
"New York Child Data Protection Act"
"restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under the age of 18 unless they obtain parental consent"
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert reminding businesses and consumers of legal requirements for e-bikes and e-scooters, including speed limits, motor wattage, labeling, and age restrictions, following recent fatal crashes. The alert warns against selling vehicles that exceed legal limits as e-bikes or e-scooters, which may instead be classified as e-motos, mopeds, or motorcycles requiring registration, licensing, and insurance.
New York Attorney General Letitia James led a bipartisan coalition of 49 other attorneys general in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to strengthen its Know Your Customer (KYC) rules. The letter calls for enhanced due diligence requirements on phone companies to better detect and prevent illegal robocalls, which cost Americans billions annually.
New York Attorney General Letitia James submitted testimony to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs' Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, calling for stronger regulations on cryptocurrency platforms to protect consumers and investors from scams. The testimony details the flood of cryptocurrency scams costing Americans billions annually and criticizes the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act for undermining state enforcement efforts.
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$18.0M
New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 42 other attorneys general secured an $18 million settlement from genetic testing company 23andMe for failing to protect customers' private genetic data. The October 2023 data breach exposed sensitive genetic information of 6.9 million consumers, including 305,245 in New York, with some data published for sale on the dark web. The settlement includes monetary penalties and new data protection requirements for the company and its successor, 23andMe Research Institute.
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