Governor Hochul and Attorney General James Announce Final Safe for Kids Act Rules to Protect Children Online

The SAFE for Kids Act and rules apply to "Addictive Online Platforms," defined as platforms that display user-generated content and have users who spend at least 20 percent of their time on the platform's addictive feeds measured over a six-month period.

The full final rules can be found on OAG's website.The final rules will be published in the State Register on July 29, 2026. The SAFE for Kids Act goes into effect 180 days later, on January 25, 2027.

For companies that violate the SAFE for Kids Act, the law authorizes OAG to bring an action to stop violations as well as to seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, among other remedies.

State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, "I passed this law for a simple reason: kids' safety should come before Big Tech's profits. The SAFE For Kids Act protects children from addictive algorithms that force-feed them content they don't want and put their mental health at risk. These new regulations bring the law to life by keeping young people safe while protecting New Yorkers' online privacy and holding social media corporations accountable. Thanks to Attorney General James for her crucial work to get this done. Together, we're building a safer, better internet for all New Yorkers."

Assemblymember Nily Rozic said, "As a mother and legislator, keeping our kids safe is one of my highest priorities. The final SAFE for Kids rules are a major step toward holding social media platforms accountable and protecting children from harmful and addictive features. I'm grateful to Governor Hochul and Attorney General James for their leadership and for ensuring that New York continues to lead the way in putting families first."

Common Sense Media Founder and CEO James P. Steyer said, "We applaud Attorney General Letitia James and her team for the tremendous work that went into developing the final regulations to implement the SAFE for Kids Act. The SAFE for Kids Act, and these new final rules to implement and enforce it, has the potential to be a transformative step forward in protecting children from the addictive design features of social media. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General James, and the state lawmakers who championed this landmark law. New York is setting a national standard for protecting kids online by focusing on curbing addictive social media feeds and limiting late-night notifications that disrupt children's sleep and well-being. There is more work to do to protect kids from the risks of AI and social media, but this law and its final rules are groundbreaking."

Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) Founder and Executive Director Julie Scelfo said, "New York's SAFE for Kids Act is the nation's strongest legislation to protect children online by ensuring they are not exposed to the addictive algorithms running rampant on social media platforms. These new rules are an important and essential step in the enforcement of this landmark legislation and provide a pathway for other states to follow. MAMA is grateful to Attorney General James and her team for their careful and trailblazing efforts. By tackling addictive and harmful feeds head-on, New York is prioritizing the safety and well-being of our children over Big Tech's bottom line."