HB5066 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 17127 SPS 30546 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB5066

Introduced 2/10/2026, by Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Social Media Age Restriction Act. Provides that an operator of a social media platform shall take reasonable steps, including the implementation of an age assurance system, to prevent a child from creating or maintaining an account on the social media platform. Provides that an operator may enter into an agreement with application distribution services or device manufacturers to allow for user information to be shared for age assurance purposes. Provides that the provision does not apply to a parent or guardian who allows a child to use an account held by the parent or guardian. Sets forth provisions concerning a 30-day cure period and civil penalties. Provides that an operator shall have 180 days after the effective date of the Act to comply with the requirements of the Act. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning business.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Social Media Age Restriction Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Child" means an individual who is 16 years of age or younger.

"Social media platform" means a public or semi-public Internet-based service or application that has users in this State and on which a substantial function of the service or application is to connect users in order to allow users to interact socially with each other within the service or application. For the purposes of this definition, a service or application that provides email or direct messaging shall not be considered to a "social media platform" on the basis of that function alone.

"Operator" means any person or entity that owns, controls, or operates a social media platform and does business in this State.

Section 10. Prohibition on social media access by children.

(a) An operator of a social media platform shall take reasonable steps, including the implementation of an age assurance system, to prevent a child from creating or maintaining an account on the social media platform.

(b) An operator may enter into an agreement with application distribution services or device manufacturers to allow for user information to be shared for the age assurance purposes required under subsection (a).

(c) The requirements of this Section do not apply to a parent or guardian who allows a child to use an account held by the parent or guardian.

Section 15. Cure period.

(a) If the Attorney General determines that an operator is in violation of this Act, the Attorney General shall provide to the operator a written notice of the violation.

(b) An operator shall have 30 days after receipt of the notice provided under subsection (a) to cure the violation.

(c) No civil penalty shall be imposed for a violation that is cured within the 30-day cure period.

Section 20. Civil penalties. An operator that fails to cure a violation of this Act within the 30-day cure period is subject to a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 per child affected by the violation. Each day after the expiration of the cure period that the violation continues constitutes a separate violation. The civil penalties imposed under this Section may be recovered in an action brought by the Attorney General.

Section 25. Compliance period. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an operator shall have 180 days after the effective date of this Act to comply with the requirements of this Act.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.