SB396

The Social Media Safety Act establishes age verification requirements for social media companies operating in Arkansas. Under the bill, social media platforms (defined as online services primarily for social interaction with at least $100 million in annual gross revenue) must verify that account holders are at least 18 years old. For minors, the platforms must obtain express parental or legal guardian consent. Companies are required to use third-party vendors for age verification and are prohibited from retaining the identifying information of users after access is granted. The bill allows for enforcement actions by the Attorney General or local prosecutors and permits individuals to sue companies for civil penalties or damages resulting from violations. Various exemptions are provided for entities such as news organizations, cloud storage providers, and business-to-business software. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2023.