Relating to the access and communications settings for accounts of minor users of digital services.

89(R) SB 2881 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text

By: Hughes, et al.

S.B. No. 2881

(Harris Davila)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the access and communications settings for accounts of

minor users of digital services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 509, Business & Commerce

Code, as added by Chapter 795 (H.B. 18), Acts of the 88th

Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is amended by adding Section

509.0525 to read as follows:

Sec.

509.0525.

ACCESS AND COMMUNICATIONS SETTINGS FOR

ACCOUNTS OF KNOWN MINORS. (a) A digital service provider shall

create access and communications controls for user accounts of

known minor users of the digital service in accordance with this

section.

(b)

The initial default settings for the account of a known

minor user of a digital service must be set to:

(1)

limit the amount of time spent using the service to

one hour each day;

(2)

prohibit unsolicited messages or communications

from unknown users;

(3)

prohibit any comments, likes, or reactions to

content posted by a known minor user;

(4)

prohibit the public display of a known minor user's

list of friends, contacts, or followers; and

(5)

prohibit the use of algorithms to automate the

suggestion, promotion, or ranking of information or content on the

digital service.

(c)

A verified parent of a known minor may use parental

tools created under Section 509.054 to change the access and

communications settings on the minor's user account at any time.

SECTION 2. Section 509.054(b), Business & Commerce Code, as

added by Chapter 795 (H.B. 18), Acts of the 88th Legislature,

Regular Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Parental tools under this section must allow a verified

parent to:

(1) control the known minor's privacy and account

settings
, including changing the default access and communications

settings on the account under Section 509.0525
;

(2) alter the duties of a digital service provider

under Section 509.052 with regard to the verified parent's known

minor;

(3) if the verified parent alters the duty of a digital

service provider under Section 509.052(2)(A), restrict the ability

of the verified parent's known minor to make purchases or engage in

financial transactions; and

(4) monitor and limit the amount of time the verified

parent's known minor spends using the digital service.

SECTION 3. Section 509.056, Business & Commerce Code, as

added by Chapter 795 (H.B. 18), Acts of the 88th Legislature,

Regular Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 509.056. USE OF ALGORITHMS.
Except where the use of

algorithms is prohibited under Section 509.0525, a
[
A
] digital

service provider that uses algorithms to automate the suggestion,

promotion, or ranking of information to known minors on the digital

service shall:

(1) make a commercially reasonable effort to ensure

that the algorithm does not interfere with the digital service

provider's duties under Section 509.053; and

(2) disclose in the digital service provider's terms

of service, privacy policy, or similar document, in a clear and

accessible manner, an overview of:

(A) the manner in which the digital service uses

algorithms to provide information or content;

(B) the manner in which algorithms promote, rank,

or filter information or content; and

(C) the personal identifying information used as

inputs to provide information or content.

SECTION 4. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this

section, Section 509.0525, Business & Commerce Code, as added by

this Act, applies to accounts created on digital services on or

after the effective date of this Act.

(b) Digital service providers shall ensure accounts created

on digital services before the effective date of this Act comply

with Section 509.0525, Business & Commerce Code, as added by this

Act, not later than January 1, 2026.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.