New York age verification rules set date for social media feeds
New York’s SAFE for Kids Act takes effect Jan. 25, 2027, with age checks for algorithmic feeds and overnight notifications.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
New York age verification rules for social media are now final, setting a Jan. 25, 2027, start date for restrictions on algorithmic feeds and late-night notifications. According to New York Attorney General Letitia James, platforms covered by the SAFE for Kids Act will have to confirm users’ ages before offering certain features to adults or getting parental consent for minors.
James released the final implementation rules for the law, which Gov. Kathy Hochul signed in June 2024. The attorney general’s office says platforms that fail to comply after the law takes effect may face penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
What does the New York age verification rule require?
Under the final rules, social media platforms with user-generated content are covered if users spend at least 20 percent of their time on algorithmic feeds, according to the attorney general’s office. Those platforms must verify age before giving adults access to algorithmically curated feeds or notifications sent between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.
The rules do not require one specific age-checking system. The attorney general’s office says any method must meet accuracy standards, including low false-positive rates, and must be able to detect efforts to get around the check 98 percent of the time.
A government-issued ID can be used as one option, according to the rules. Platforms also must offer at least one alternative, and information gathered for age checks must be deleted or de-identified immediately after it is used.
How parental consent works under the SAFE for Kids Act
The final rules also spell out how minors can seek permission to use restricted features. According to the attorney general’s office, users under 18 may ask a parent for approval, and the child must agree to have the parent notified.
A platform cannot cut off a minor from parts of an app that are not age-gated because a parent has not approved the restricted features, the rules say. The rules also say minors cannot be blocked from searching for specific content solely because parental consent for restricted features has not been granted.
Parents and children both can withdraw consent, according to the final rules. Platforms are not required to disclose a child’s search history or topics to a parent as part of the consent process.
Legal challenges could follow
The Verge reported that the final rules are broadly similar to the attorney general’s proposal released in September. Now that the rules are final, opponents of age verification laws could try to block New York’s system in court.
Critics have warned that online age checks can affect privacy and speech rights, according to The Verge. The outlet also reported that courts have often sided with technology industry challengers in cases over state age-verification and parental-consent laws.
The legal picture is mixed. The Verge reported that the Supreme Court gave states more room to require age checks when it upheld a Texas law requiring verification for access to adult websites.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.