Global Age Verification Laws: A 2026 Compliance Review for Site Owners
Age verification has shifted from a niche compliance topic to a core operational obligation for any business operating an online service. As of May 2026, roughly half of all U.S. states have enacted age verification or age assurance requirements covering adult content or social media, and a parallel wave of national laws has taken effect across the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, and Brazil. The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 27, 2025 ruling in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which upheld Texas H.B. 1181, removed the principal First Amendment obstacle to state adult content laws and accelerated state action through 2025 and into 2026.
This article catalogs current, pending, and failed age verification legislation across five content categories: adult content, social media, gaming, app stores, and AI chatbots. A short closing section addresses online gambling, where age verification is well established but is being tightened in several markets.
This document is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Statutes, regulations, and litigation status change rapidly; consult counsel before relying on this summary for compliance decisions.
A note on terminology: “Active” means the statute is in force as of the date of this review. “Pending” means the bill is introduced, advancing, or signed but not yet effective. “Failed” means the bill was vetoed, voted down, permanently enjoined, or otherwise terminated without an active replacement path.
Adult Content Age Verification Laws
Overview Table: Adult Content Age Verification Laws
| Region | Minimum Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 18 | Active |
| Arizona | 18 | Active |
| Arkansas | 18 | Active |
| Australia (Adult) | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Brazil (Adult) | 18 | Active |
| Canada | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| European Union | 18 | Pending |
| Florida | 18 | Active |
| France | 18 | Active |
| Germany | 18 | Active |
| Hawaii | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Idaho | 18 | Active |
| Illinois | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Indiana | 18 | Active |
| Iowa | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Ireland | 18 | Pending |
| Italy | 18 | Active |
| Kansas | 18 | Active |
| Kentucky | 18 | Active |
| Louisiana | 18 | Active |
| Maryland (Adult) | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Minnesota (Adult) | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Mississippi | 18 | Active |
| Missouri | 18 | Active |
| Montana | 18 | Active |
| Nebraska | 18 | Active |
| New Jersey | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| North Carolina | 18 | Active |
| North Dakota | 18 | Active |
| North Dakota SB 2380 | 18 | Pending (effective Aug 1, 2026) |
| Ohio (Adult) | 18 | Active |
| Oklahoma | 18 | Active |
| Pennsylvania | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| South Carolina (Adult) | 18 | Active |
| South Dakota | 18 | Active |
| Spain | 18 | Active (limited) |
| Tennessee (Adult) | 18 | Active |
| Texas | 18 | Active |
| United Kingdom | 18 | Active |
| Utah | 18 | Active |
| Virginia | 18 | Active |
| West Virginia | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Wisconsin | 18 (proposed) | Pending |
| Wyoming | 18 | Active |
United States: Adult Content
Each U.S. adult content law is structured around a similar template. The covered website is defined as a commercial site where a “substantial portion” of content (most commonly more than one third, with Kansas using 25 percent and Wyoming applying no threshold) is “material harmful to minors” as defined by state obscenity or harmful matter statutes. The statute then imposes a duty to perform “reasonable age verification” before granting access, almost always backed by a private right of action, an attorney general enforcement power, or both. Permitted methods vary by statute but commonly include government issued ID, a state digital ID, a commercial database lookup using transaction data (mortgage, employment, education records), and increasingly facial age estimation.
Alabama
H.B. 164 took effect on October 1, 2024. In addition to the one third content threshold and “reasonable age verification” duty, Alabama (along with Texas) requires sites to display a health warning.
Arizona
H.B. 2112 took effect on September 26, 2025. Standard one third threshold with a private right of action.
Arkansas
S.B. 66 took effect on July 31, 2023. Verification options are state approved digital ID, government issued ID, or a commercial reasonable method that holds NIST Identity Assurance Level 2 (IAL2).
Florida
H.B. 3 took effect on January 1, 2025. It requires a “reasonable method of age verification” and explicitly requires sites to offer at least one anonymized verification option. The social media portions of H.B. 3 were preliminarily enjoined in June 2025, but plaintiffs dropped the challenge to the adult content provisions in July 2025, leaving the porn age check requirement in force.
Idaho
H. 498 took effect on July 1, 2024. It requires “reasonable age verification” of users by commercial entities that publish or distribute material harmful to minors.
Indiana
S.B. 17 (Act 17) took effect on August 16, 2024. It applies to “adult oriented website” operators displaying material harmful to minors.
Kansas
S.B. 394 took effect on July 1, 2024. Kansas uses a lower content threshold than most states: a site must verify age if “harmful to minors” material appears on 25 percent or more of webpages viewed in any calendar month.
Kentucky
H.B. 278 took effect on July 15, 2024. The statute creates a private right of action against commercial entities publishing harmful matter without age verification and requires deletion of personal data following verification.
Louisiana
Louisiana was the first U.S. state to enact a modern adult content age verification law. Act 440 (H.B. 142) became effective January 1, 2023. It allows individuals to sue commercial websites where more than one third of content is pornographic unless the site verifies age using a digital ID card, a government issued ID, or a commercial reasonable method based on transaction data. H.B. 77 (the PAVE Act), effective August 1, 2023, added Attorney General enforcement authority with civil penalties of $5,000 per day, or $10,000 per day for knowing violations, after a 30 day cure period.
Mississippi
S.B. 2346 took effect on July 1, 2023. Permitted verification methods are a state approved digital ID, an independent third party age verification service that checks authoritative databases, or a commercial reasonable method based on transaction data.
Missouri
15 CSR 60-18 took effect on November 30, 2025. Implements a “reasonable age verification” duty for sites where at least one third of content is pornographic. Multiple supplemental bills (H.B. 1839, H.B. 3015, H.B. 2921) are pending in 2026 to strengthen and expand the framework.
Montana
S.B. 544 took effect on January 1, 2024. The verification framework follows the Texas H.B. 1181 model.
Nebraska
L.B. 1092 took effect on July 19, 2024. The bill requires “reasonable age verification” for any site where at least one third of the content is pornographic.
North Carolina
H.B. 8 took effect on January 1, 2024. Verification requires use of a commercially available database or another commercial reasonable method of age and identity verification.
North Dakota
H.B. 1561 took effect on August 1, 2025, following the standard one third threshold model with a private right of action.
North Dakota S.B. 2380 (device level signal, pending)
S.B. 2380 takes effect on August 1, 2026. This is a different model from the standard site level law: it requires device manufacturers, operating systems, and app stores to estimate the age of the primary user and transmit a digital age signal to websites and apps, which must then block access to mature content for users under 18.
Ohio (Adult Content)
H.B. 96 took effect on September 30, 2025. Ohio’s approach is broader than most: it requires sites displaying material “obscene or harmful to juveniles” to use reasonable age verification and geofencing to block Ohio minors. It also mandates periodic re-verification, strict data deletion, and Attorney General enforcement.
Oklahoma
S.B. 1959 took effect on November 1, 2024. It prohibits commercial entities from distributing adult material without age verification.
South Carolina (Adult Content)
H.B. 3424 took effect on January 1, 2025. The structure follows the standard one third threshold model with civil penalties and a private right of action.
South Dakota
H.B. 1053 took effect on July 1, 2025. It applies where it is “in the regular course of the website’s trade or business” to host harmful matter, and requires “reasonable age verification”.
Tennessee (Adult Content)
S.B. 1792 took effect on January 1, 2025. Tennessee is notable for elevating violations of age verification or data retention requirements to a Class C felony, the most serious criminal penalty in any U.S. adult content statute.
Texas
H.B. 1181 took effect on September 19, 2023. It was challenged immediately and reached the Supreme Court, which upheld the statute in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton on June 27, 2025, applying intermediate scrutiny rather than strict scrutiny. Texas also enacted H.B. 18 (the SCOPE Act) effective September 1, 2024, parts of which were stayed by a federal judge; the adult content provisions remain in force.
Utah
S.B. 287 took effect on May 3, 2023. Mechanism is identical to Louisiana (private right of action, one third content threshold, government ID or commercial reasonable method). The original bill contained a contingency clause that delayed effect unless five other states adopted similar laws; this threshold was crossed quickly.
In 2026, Utah expanded the framework with S.B. 73 (Online Age Verification Amendments), signed by Governor Spencer Cox on March 19, 2026 and originally scheduled to take effect on May 6, 2026. S.B. 73 makes Utah the first U.S. state to address VPN circumvention directly: covered sites must verify the age of any user physically located in Utah even where the user routes through a VPN, and covered sites are prohibited from publishing instructions on or otherwise facilitating use of VPNs to bypass age checks. The law also imposes a 2 percent tax on revenues from online adult content starting October 2026, with civil penalties of $2,500 for a first violation and $5,000 for repeat violations, enforced by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection. On May 11, 2026, Utah agreed not to enforce the VPN provisions until September 3, 2026 after Aylo (parent company of Pornhub) filed a constitutional challenge in federal court. Digital rights advocates including the Electronic Frontier Foundation have raised First Amendment objections, particularly to the prohibition on sharing truthful information about lawful privacy tools.
Virginia
S.B. 1515 took effect on July 1, 2023. The statute requires either use of a commercially available database or another commercial reasonable method of age and identity verification.
Wyoming
H.B. 43 took effect on July 1, 2025. Wyoming is the broadest U.S. adult content statute in scope: it applies to any website that publishes or hosts adult content, with no content percentage threshold. It includes a private right of action.
Pending U.S. Adult Content Bills (as of early 2026)
Hawaii
H.B. 1198 was carried over from the 2025 session (December 8, 2025). Hawaii split its proposal into a substantive bill and a separate penalty bill to allow piecewise approval.
Illinois
S.B. 3945 was introduced on February 6, 2026.
Iowa
H.F. 2274 (with companion H.F. 2606) passed the Iowa House Committee on February 17, 2026. Standard age check model for porn sites. Not yet law.
Maryland (Adult Content)
H.B. 908 / H.B. 693 introduced; pending.
Minnesota (Adult Content)
H.F. 1434 had a House Committee hearing on February 19, 2026.
New Jersey
S.1826 / S.4455 and A.3228 are pending in the legislature.
Pennsylvania
S.B. 603 is a 2025 to 2026 session bill titled “Requiring Age Verification for Internet Pornography.” Status: introduced and pending committee action.
West Virginia
H.B. 4412 passed both the House and Senate on March 5, 2026.
Wisconsin
A.B. 105 / S.B. 130 has passed both chambers and is awaiting Governor’s signature (as of February 2026).
International: Adult Content
Australia (Adult Content)
Australia’s social media regime (see Section 2) does not currently cover online pornography. The Australian government completed its Age Assurance Roadmap in 2024 and plans to require age verification for online pornography and R18+ content starting in 2026 under the eSafety Commissioner’s Phase 2 Industry Codes (rolling out through March 2026 and extending to email, messaging, gaming, search engines, hosting, and app stores). Status: pending; specific effective date for pornography is “not enough info” in current public sources.
Brazil
The Digital Statute of the Child and Adolescent (Lei 15.211/2025, the “Digital ECA”) was signed on September 17, 2025 and became enforceable on March 17, 2026. Pornographic websites and social networks must perform “reliable age assurance” using identity documentation or proportionate alternative technical methods. Penalties run up to 10 percent of Brazilian revenue, capped at R$50 million per violation, plus throttling or blocking. Enforcement combines executive branch reporting with judicial fines.
Canada
Canada has no active national adult content age verification statute. Bill S-210 (“Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act”) passed the Senate but died on the order paper when Parliament was prorogued on January 6, 2025. It was reintroduced as Bill S-209 on May 28, 2025, and the Senate passed it on April 15, 2026, sending it to the House of Commons for second reading. The bill would criminalize commercial provision of sexually explicit material online without an approved age verification or age estimation system, with court ordered ISP blocking as the enforcement backstop. Status: pending.
European Union (cross border framework)
The EU is moving toward harmonized age verification through three parallel tracks: enforcement of the Digital Services Act (DSA) against VLOPs that fail to take “appropriate and proportionate measures” to protect minors; the European Commission’s interim age verification mini wallet (or “blueprint”) built by T-Systems/Scytáles; and the broader EU Digital Identity Wallet required to be operational by December 31, 2026. The Commission has urged Member States to roll out age verification solutions by end of 2026, though no DSA article currently makes a specific age verification method mandatory. The minimum age default in many discussions is 18 for adult content and 16 for social media (with parental consent allowed for 13 to 15).
France
France’s SREN Law (Law No. 2024-449) was adopted on May 21, 2024. The implementing technical standard, published by regulator ARCOM on October 11, 2024, became enforceable on January 11, 2025, after a three month transition period ending April 11, 2025. ARCOM’s standard mandates a “double anonymity” principle: neither the age verification provider nor the adult website is permitted to identify the user, and the website cannot itself process the personal data used for age checking. Permitted approaches include identity document verification through an independent third party, age estimation with liveness detection, and forthcoming integration with the EU Digital Identity Wallet. Maximum penalties reach €150,000 or 2 percent of global turnover. Arcom has issued formal notices to multiple pornographic sites and uses ISP blocking and search delisting as enforcement tools.
Germany
Germany’s framework predates most other national regimes. The Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV) has for years required adult content services to use an age verification system (AVS) approved by the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM). Self declaration is not sufficient. Approved methods historically include document readers, electronic ID card (eID), and certified third party digital identity providers. The minimum age is 18.
Ireland
Ireland has no dedicated adult content age verification statute. The Online Safety and Media Regulation Act grants the regulator (Coimisiún na Meán) authority to issue Online Safety Codes that will require age assurance by 2026. A Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024 has been discussed in the Oireachtas. Status: pending.
Italy
Italy’s age verification regime under the “Caivano Decree” framework began enforcement on November 12, 2025, with full implementation expected by February 2026 (EU established providers received an extra three month window after AGCOM’s October 31, 2025 publication of the list of covered providers). Pornographic websites must verify users are 18 or older every session using a third party age verification service. Available channels include the Italian SPID and CIE digital identity systems. AGCOM is the regulator and identified 45 initial covered providers including Pornhub, YouPorn, and Redtube. Covered sites are also prohibited from promoting VPNs as a means to bypass the law.
Spain
Spain has a 2022 framework law requiring streaming, video sharing, and other platforms to implement age verification to prevent minors from accessing pornography and similar harmful content. As of 2026, Spain has rolled out MiDNI, a digital identification app operated by national police. A separate national age verification wallet (“Cartera Digital Beta”) announced in 2024 is on hold. A broader, dedicated age verification statute is still in development.
United Kingdom
The Online Safety Act 2023 has been in active enforcement since July 25, 2025, with Ofcom acting as the regulator. The Act requires “highly effective age assurance” before users can access pornography or content that promotes self harm, suicide, or eating disorders. Self declaration (“tick the box”) is no longer acceptable. Ofcom’s approved methods include facial age estimation, credit card or open banking checks, mobile network operator checks, digital ID services, and government photo ID verification. Maximum fines are the greater of £18 million or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue.
By February 2026, Ofcom had opened investigations into more than 90 services and issued six fines, including a £1 million fine against an adult website operator in December 2025, an additional £50,000 fine for failure to respond to information requests, and an £800,000 penalty against Kick Online Entertainment on February 13, 2026 for failure to age gate pornographic content. Investigations have expanded into AI services such as 4chan, X (regarding the Grok chatbot), and Joi.com.
Social Media Age Verification Laws
Overview Table: Social Media Age Verification Laws
| Region | Minimum Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas (Social Media) | 18 (parental consent) | Failed (permanently enjoined Apr 2025) |
| Australia (SMMA) | 16 | Active |
| Brazil (Social Media) | 12 to 18 (parental consent) | Active |
| California | 18 (addictive feeds), 17 (notifications) | Active (partly enjoined) |
| Canada (Social Media) | 14 to 16 (varies by province) | Pending |
| Colorado (Social Media warnings) | 18 | Enjoined |
| Colorado HB 25-086 | 18 | Failed |
| Connecticut | 16 (minors’ data rules) | Active |
| Denmark | 15 | Pending |
| European Union (resolution) | 16 (13 with parental consent) | Pending (non-binding) |
| Federal Kids Off Social Media Act | 13 | Pending |
| Federal KOSA | Under 17 | Pending |
| Florida (Social Media) | 16 (full ban under 14) | Active |
| France (Social Media) | 15 | Pending |
| Georgia (Social Media) | 16 (parental consent) | Enjoined |
| India | TBD | Pending |
| Indiana SB 199 | 18 | Failed |
| Indonesia | TBD | Pending |
| Kenya | Varies | Active (guidelines) |
| Louisiana (Social Media) | 18 (parental consent) | Failed (permanently enjoined Dec 2025) |
| Maine LD 844 | 18 | Failed |
| Malaysia | 16 | Active (effective Jan 1, 2026) |
| Maryland (Kids Code) | 16 | Active |
| Minnesota | Varies | Active |
| Mississippi (Social Media) | 18 (parental consent) | Active |
| Montana HB 925 | 18 | Failed |
| Nebraska (Social Media) | 18 (parental consent) | Pending (effective Jul 1, 2026) |
| New York (SAFE for Kids) | 18 (algorithmic feeds) | Pending (rulemaking) |
| New Zealand | 16 | Pending |
| Norway | 15 | Pending |
| Ohio (Social Media) | 16 (parental consent) | Enjoined |
| Pakistan | 16 | Failed (withdrawn Aug 2025) |
| Papua New Guinea | 14 | Active |
| Philippines | 18 or 13 to 17 with consent | Pending |
| South Carolina (Social Media) | Varies | Active |
| Spain (Social Media) | 16 | Pending |
| Tennessee (Social Media) | 18 (parental consent) | Active |
| Texas (HB 18) | 18 (parental consent) | Active (partly enjoined) |
| United Kingdom (Social Media) | 18 (for harmful content) | Active |
| Utah (Social Media) | 18 (parental consent) | Enjoined |
| Vermont | 18 (Age-Appropriate Design Code) | Pending (effective Jan 1, 2027) |
| Virginia (Social Media) | 16 (1 hour daily limit) | Enjoined |
| Wyoming HB 85 | 18 | Failed |
United States: Social Media
A note on the U.S. social media landscape: state level social media age verification laws have faced extensive First Amendment litigation, with NetChoice and other trade groups securing preliminary injunctions or permanent injunctions against many statutes. Unlike the adult content area (where the Supreme Court’s Paxton ruling has consolidated the legal foundation), there is no comparable Supreme Court precedent for social media, and lower courts remain divided.
Arkansas (Social Media)
SB 396 required parental consent for minors to use social media. A federal court declared it unconstitutional and permanently enjoined the law on April 1, 2025. Status: failed. The Eighth Circuit considered the appeal in late 2025; as of this writing, no supplemental Arkansas bill has been enacted, but the state has signaled potential reintroduction.
California
California has three relevant statutes. AB 2273 (Age-Appropriate Design Code Act) was signed September 15, 2022 but has been partially enjoined following Ninth Circuit litigation. SB 976 (Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act) was signed September 20, 2024. It does not ban minors from accounts; it bars platforms from providing an “addictive feed” to a minor without verifiable parental consent or a determination that the user is not a minor. Core provisions remain in effect with key age determination obligations beginning January 1, 2027. Portions of SB 976 have been litigated. AB 1043 (Digital Age Assurance Act) was signed in October 2025 and takes effect January 1, 2027; it requires operating system providers (not app stores) to prompt users for birth date or age at account setup and to send an age signal to apps.
Colorado (Warnings)
HB24-1136 required social media platforms to display a large pop up to users under 18 the first time they open the platform each day, with another warning every 30 minutes. The law is currently stayed following NetChoice’s challenge.
Connecticut
SB 3 was passed in 2023; the minors data provisions took effect on October 1, 2024. It is not a universal “parental consent to open an account” statute; rather, it imposes minors focused obligations within Connecticut’s broader privacy framework, including enhanced rights and controls for minors. The age threshold for enhanced protections is 16.
Florida (Social Media)
HB 3 (signed March 25, 2024) is codified as Fla. Stat. § 501.1736. Florida bans social media accounts for children under 14 outright; 14 and 15 year olds need parental consent. A district court preliminary injunction was issued in June 2025 but was stayed on appeal. The Eleventh Circuit fast tracked the case, and on November 25, 2025, Florida was allowed to begin enforcement. Litigation on the merits continues.
Georgia (Social Media)
SB 351 (Protecting Georgia’s Children on Social Media Act of 2024) would require age verification and parental consent for minors under 16. It was preliminarily enjoined on June 26, 2025 as part of broader NetChoice litigation.
Louisiana (Social Media)
Act 456 (formerly SB 162) required age verification and parental consent for minor social media accounts. It was permanently enjoined in December 2025. Status: failed (subject to appeal).
Maryland (Kids Code)
The Maryland Kids Code (HB 603 / SB 571) took effect on October 1, 2024. It requires covered online products and services reasonably likely to be accessed by children to set default high privacy settings for users under 16, ban collection of children’s data for personalized content, and ensure age appropriate design. NetChoice litigation is ongoing; a motion to dismiss was denied, and no injunction is in place as of February 2026.
Minnesota
HF 3488 took effect on July 1, 2025. It does not directly require age verification for account creation; instead it regulates compensation and content removal for minors who appear in or contribute to online content created by others.
Mississippi (Social Media)
The Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act (HB 1126) took effect on July 17, 2025 after the Fifth Circuit stayed the lower court’s injunction. The Supreme Court denied NetChoice’s emergency request to re-block the law in August 2025. The statute requires age verification via “commercially reasonable efforts,” parental consent for minors, limits on data collection and targeted advertising for under 18 users, and steps to shield minors from harmful content. As a consequence of this law, Bluesky has blocked Mississippi users entirely.
Nebraska (Social Media)
LB 383 (Parental Rights in Social Media Act) was signed May 20, 2025 and takes effect on July 1, 2026. It requires social media platforms to verify users’ ages, obtain parental consent before allowing minors to create accounts, and gives parents rights to monitor activity and control settings.
New York (SAFE for Kids Act)
The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act was signed in June 2024. It requires platforms to determine user age and obtain parental consent before providing minors with algorithmic feeds, and restricts overnight notifications without consent. Effective date is tied to final regulations from the New York Attorney General; rulemaking was still in progress as of late 2025. Status: pending.
Ohio (Social Media)
Ohio Rev. Code § 1349.09 (Parental Notification by Social Media Operators), enacted as part of HB 33, requires parental consent for minors on certain social media. The provision is currently enjoined. The Sixth Circuit heard oral argument in early February 2026.
South Carolina (Social Media)
H3402 (Age-Appropriate Design Code Act) and H3431 (South Carolina Social Media Regulation Act) were signed on February 5, 2026 with immediate effect. An immediate preliminary injunction motion has been filed.
Tennessee (Social Media)
Public Chapter 899 is currently in force and was effective from January 1, 2025. It requires social media companies to verify the age of users attempting to create or maintain accounts and to obtain parental consent for users under 18. Following the federal judge’s denial of a preliminary injunction in June 2025, Nextdoor banned anyone under 18 from creating Tennessee accounts. Appellate proceedings are active as of February 2026.
Texas (HB 18 - SCOPE Act)
HB 18 (the SCOPE Act) took effect on September 1, 2024. It requires digital service providers, including social media platforms, to obtain parental consent before entering agreements with minors under 18. Much of the bill is enjoined pending appeal; the adult content related parts remain in force.
Utah (Social Media)
HB 464 and SB 194 (Social Media Regulation Act) took effect on October 1, 2024. They require parental consent for minors to create social media accounts, mandate age verification by social media companies, and restrict social media use between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. for users under 18 without parental consent. Currently enjoined; appeal pending.
Vermont
The Vermont Age-Appropriate Design Code (Act 63 of 2025) was signed June 12, 2025 and takes effect on January 1, 2027.
Virginia (Social Media)
SB 854 was signed on May 2, 2025 and took effect January 1, 2026. It requires platforms to determine whether users are under 16 and to limit minor users to one hour per day unless parents adjust the setting. NetChoice sued, and the law was enjoined in February 2026 with appeal active.
Failed Social Media Bills
Colorado HB 25-086
Vetoed by Governor Jared Polis in 2025. The Colorado Senate voted to override but the House declined to vote on the override, so the veto stands.
Indiana SB 199
The Indiana Senate removed the social media ban portion of SB 199 during the 2026 session. Effectively rejected.
Maine LD 844
Rejected by the Maine State Legislature in 2025.
Montana HB 925
Rejected by the Montana State Legislature during the 2025 session.
Wyoming HB 85
Rejected by the Wyoming State Legislature in 2024. A successor (HB 19 in 2025) was introduced but also did not pass.
Federal Bills
Kids Off Social Media Act
Reintroduced in January 2025 as S. 278 in the 119th Congress; advanced out of committee in February 2025 and placed on the general calendar. The bill bans anyone under 13 from a social media account and bans certain algorithmic recommendations for anyone under 17. Status: pending.
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)
KOSA passed the Senate on July 30, 2024 (91 to 3) but stalled in the House. The bill has been reintroduced in the 119th Congress as S. 1748 (Senate) and H.R. 6484 (House). The House version was rewritten by House Republicans in May 2025 in a way critics describe as stripping its enforcement teeth. As of January 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is preparing a bipartisan markup. Status: pending.
International: Social Media
Australia
Australia became the first country to enforce a national social media minimum age. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which received Royal Assent on December 10, 2024, took effect exactly one year later on December 10, 2025. Age Restricted Social Media Platforms (ARSMPs) must take “reasonable steps” to prevent users under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. eSafety has designated Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick, and Reddit as covered platforms. Maximum penalty is AUD $49.5 million. eSafety reported on January 16, 2026 that platforms had removed access to 4.7 million under 16 accounts. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) co regulates the privacy provisions of Part 4A of the Online Safety Act.
Brazil (Social Media)
The Digital ECA (Lei 15.211/2025) enforces social media obligations starting March 17, 2026. Minors aged 12 to 18 must have parental or guardian consent to download applications; social media platforms must implement age verification, link minor accounts to parent accounts, and restrict minors to age appropriate content. Penalties up to R$50 million or 10 percent of Brazilian revenue per violation. The law does not impose an absolute age limit on social media but requires parental linkage for under 16.
Canada (Social Media)
Canada has no national social media age verification statute. In May 2025, a Quebec legislative committee recommended banning social media for those under 14 without parental consent. Nova Scotia Liberals have proposed a bill to ban under 16 social media use. No active national bill has been introduced. Status: pending (provincial level proposals).
Denmark
On November 7, 2025, Denmark’s government announced an agreement to ban access to social media for anyone under 15 (with a likely parental consent exception for 13 and 14 year olds). Enforcement may rely on Denmark’s national electronic ID. Implementation expected in 2026. Status: pending.
European Union
On November 26, 2025, the European Parliament approved a non binding resolution (483 to 92 to 86) calling for an EU minimum age of 16 for social media, video sharing platforms, and AI companions, with parental consent permitted for ages 13 to 15 and a hard floor of 13 with no exceptions. The Parliament also called for bans on infinite scrolling and autoplay for minors. The Commission is assessing a “social media delay” initiative, potentially in summer 2026. Status: pending (non binding resolution).
France (Social Media)
France passed a law on June 29, 2023 requiring parental consent for users under 15 on social media. It never took effect due to friction with EU level rules. On January 27, 2026, the French National Assembly approved a new government backed bill (116 to 23) banning social media for children under 15, with mandatory age verification. Educational resources such as online encyclopedias are exempt. Status: pending (advancing).
India
In 2025, the ZEP Foundation petitioned the Supreme Court of India to ban under 13 access to social media. The Court declined to ban but ordered the Central Government to consider requiring age verification for social media within 8 weeks. As of September 2025, no statute has been passed to that effect. Status: pending.
Indonesia
Since January 2025, the Indonesian government has been studying a minimum social media age and Australia style protections. No minimum age has been set as of late 2025. Status: pending; specific terms are “not enough info.”
Kenya
In May 2025, the Communications Authority of Kenya published guidelines on online safety for children requiring Application Service Providers and Content Service Providers to implement age verification to restrict harmful content. The Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill 2025 has also been introduced. Status: guidelines active; statutory framework pending.
Malaysia
The Malaysian Online Safety Act 2025 took effect on January 1, 2026, simultaneously with a ban on under 16 social media accounts. The Communications Ministry has announced age verification via eKYC.
New Zealand
The Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill was introduced in May 2025 by the National Party with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s support. It would ban social media accounts for children under 16, modeled on the Australian law, with a maximum fine of NZD 2 million. Status: pending.
Norway
In late 2024, the Norwegian government announced a planned minimum age of 15 for social media with mandatory age verification. The draft bill went out for consultation through October 7, 2025, generating more than 8,000 comments. The government is finalizing the bill, with passage expected in 2026.
Pakistan
In July 2025, a Senate bill proposed banning social media for under 16 users, requiring platforms to implement age verification, and imprisoning anyone (including parents) who creates a social media account for a minor for up to six months. After controversy, the bill was withdrawn in August 2025. The government has signaled intent to reintroduce a less punitive version with a lower age limit (13 or 14) and without the imprisonment penalty. Status: failed (withdrawn), with successor expected.
Papua New Guinea
In October 2025, the Papua New Guinea government approved a 2025 social media policy requiring users to verify they are at least 14 years old to access platforms like TikTok or Instagram. Verification is to be done through SevisPass, the country’s digital ID. Status: active (policy adopted; rollout in progress).
Philippines
In July 2025, two competing bills were introduced in the Philippine Senate: one by Senator Ping Lacson banning social media for all minors under 18, and one by Senator Erwin Tulfo allowing minors 13 to 17 to use social media with verified parental consent. Both would require platform age verification. Status: pending.
Spain (Social Media)
In February 2026, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced plans to ban social media access for users under 16 in Spain, requiring platforms to implement mandatory age verification. Status: pending (legislative drafting underway).
United Kingdom (Social Media)
The Online Safety Act 2023 requires user to user services (including social media) to use highly effective age assurance to prevent children from accessing harmful content (pornography, self harm, suicide, eating disorder content) since July 25, 2025. The Act does not impose a uniform under 16 ban, but it requires platforms to identify children where children are likely to be users and then to enforce age based content protections. Reddit, Bluesky, Discord, Grindr, and others have implemented age verification flows for UK users. The UK government committed on April 27, 2026 to expanding content restrictions for those under 16, signaling further legislation.
Online Gaming Age Verification Laws
Overview Table: Gaming Age Verification Laws
| Region | Minimum Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Gaming Phase 2) | TBD | Pending (rolling out through March 2026) |
| Belgium (Loot Boxes) | N/A (effective ban) | Active |
| Brazil (Loot Boxes) | 18 (ban on loot box sales to minors) | Active |
| China (Gaming) | 18 (real-name verification; play limits for minors) | Active |
| Germany (Loot Boxes) | 18 (for games with loot boxes, under JuSchG) | Active |
| South Korea (Shutdown Law) | 16 (curfew) | Failed (repealed January 1, 2022) |
| United Kingdom (Gaming) | 18 (where harmful content) | Active |
Australia (Gaming Phase 2)
The eSafety Commissioner’s Phase 2 Industry Codes, with six codes registered on September 9, 2025 and taking effect on March 9, 2026, extend age assurance obligations beyond social media to app distribution platforms, equipment providers, social media services (core and messaging features), relevant electronic services, and designated internet services. Gaming services fall within scope. Specific minimum ages and verification methods will be set out in the codes. Status: pending implementation through March 2026.
Belgium (Loot Boxes)
In April 2018, the Belgian Gaming Commission ruled that paid loot boxes that yield random rewards constitute gambling under Belgian law. Operating loot boxes without a gambling license became prosecutable, with penalties of up to €800,000 and five years’ imprisonment, doubled when minors are involved. The ban is formally an interpretive application of the existing gambling law rather than a new statute. Studies in 2023 found that the ban was widely circumvented (82 percent of the 100 highest grossing iPhone games in Belgium still contained paid loot boxes), but the framework remains in force. Status: active (effective ban). The Belgian Gaming Commission has also recommended criminal prosecutions of certain game companies, licensors, and game platforms.
Brazil (Loot Boxes and Gaming)
Brazil’s Digital ECA (Lei 15.211/2025), enforceable March 17, 2026, bans the sale of loot boxes to minors and requires gaming companies that offer randomized monetization to evaluate how their game engages children and adolescents. Penalties mirror the rest of the Digital ECA framework (10 percent of Brazilian revenue, capped at R$50 million).
China
China operates the strictest gaming age verification regime in the world. Under the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) Notice of August 30, 2021, all online games operating in China must restrict minor playtime to exactly three hours per week (8 to 9 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays only). Minors are banned from gameplay between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The framework requires Real Name Verification (“实名认证”) for all users before access, integrated with national identity databases. Tencent and other major operators have deployed facial recognition checks (“Midnight Patrol”) on registered accounts that have played for extended periods at night to detect minors using adult accounts. Spending is capped: RMB 200 per month for users 8 to 16, RMB 400 per month for users 16 to 18. The Law on the Protection of Minors (amended 2024) and the 2023 expansion brought livestreaming, video sharing, and social media platforms under the same anti addiction framework.
Germany (Loot Boxes and Youth Protection)
Germany’s Youth Protection Act (JuSchG) was revised to treat “gambling like mechanisms” such as loot boxes as harmful to children. Games containing loot boxes can be classified by the USK (the German entertainment software self regulation body) for restricted audiences, and adult only ratings prevent minors from purchasing such titles. Adult content in games and online services requires use of a KJM approved age verification system. Minimum age: 18 for adult content; specific loot box treatment varies by classification.
South Korea (Shutdown Law)
The Youth Protection Revision Act (“Shutdown Law” or “Cinderella Law”) was passed on May 19, 2011 and took effect November 20, 2011. It prohibited online gaming by users under 16 between midnight and 6 a.m. The law was abolished by the National Assembly in November 2021 and ceased to apply at midnight on January 1, 2022. It has been replaced by the “choice system,” in which minors or their guardians designate gaming hours per game. Status: failed (replaced).
United Kingdom (Gaming)
The Online Safety Act 2023, in force from July 25, 2025, applies to gaming services that host user generated content or that include features such as text or voice chat. Gaming platforms have implemented age verification or feature gates: Xbox introduced age verification for UK users on July 28, 2025; Nexus Mods and Steam have gated adult content; Roblox has announced mandatory facial age checks for any chat access with age band limits on who minors can chat with. The UK Gambling Commission’s broader rules also apply to in game gambling style content. Minimum age: 18 for harmful or adult content.
App Store Age Verification Laws
Overview Table: App Store Age Verification Laws
| Region | Minimum Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama (App Store) | 18 | Pending |
| California (DAAA) | 18 (OS level signal) | Pending (effective Jan 1, 2027) |
| Louisiana (App Store) | 18 | Pending |
| Other US states | 18 | Pending |
| Texas (App Store) | 18 | Failed (preliminarily enjoined Dec 23, 2025) |
| Utah (App Store) | 18 (parental consent for minors) | Pending (effective May 6, 2026) |
Alabama (App Store)
Alabama has passed legislation similar to the Utah model. Status: pending. Effective date and full statutory citation in current public reporting: not enough info.
California (Digital Age Assurance Act)
AB 1043 (Digital Age Assurance Act) was signed in October 2025 and takes effect on January 1, 2027. Unlike Utah, Texas, and Louisiana, AB 1043 applies to operating system providers rather than to app stores. Operating system providers must build an account setup flow that asks the user’s birth date or age and must transmit an age signal to apps. The law uses age categories (child, young teen, older teen, adult) and only self reported age is required (no photo ID).
Louisiana (App Store)
Louisiana enacted its App Store Accountability Act on June 30, 2025. The law follows the Utah template and takes effect later in 2026. Status: pending.
Other U.S. States (App Store)
Bills similar to the Utah and Texas Accountability Acts have been introduced in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, New Mexico, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Status: pending; final passage and effective dates: not enough info on a per state basis.
Texas (App Store)
The Texas App Store Accountability Act (SB 2420) was signed by Governor Greg Abbott on May 27, 2025 with an intended effective date of January 1, 2026. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on December 23, 2025, blocking the law from taking effect. Status: failed (enjoined; appeal expected).
Utah
The Utah App Store Accountability Act (SB 142) was signed by Governor Spencer Cox on March 26, 2025 and the law itself went into effect on May 7, 2025. App store and developer compliance obligations begin on May 6, 2026. The private right of action takes effect on December 31, 2026. Requirements include: app stores must request age information and verify a user’s age category at account creation; minors must be affiliated with a parent account; developers must verify age category through the app store’s data sharing methods and obtain verifiable parental consent; developers must request age verification or parental consent at download, purchase, or significant app change. Utah amended its law via HB 498, signed on March 18, 2026, narrowing data use to three enumerated purposes (enforcing age based restrictions, complying with law, implementing safety features) and adding developer opt in tools to block minor downloads.
Section 5: AI Chatbots
Overview Table: AI Chatbot Age Verification Laws
| Region | Minimum Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| California AB 1064 (LEAD for Kids) | 18 | Failed (vetoed by Governor Newsom) |
| California SB 243 | 18 (for U18 protections) | Active (effective Jan 1, 2026) |
| European Union (resolution on AI companions) | 16 (with parental consent for 13 to 15) | Pending |
| Federal AWARE Act | TBD | Pending |
| Federal GUARD Act | 18 | Pending |
| United Kingdom (AI under OSA) | 18 (for harmful content) | Active |
California AB 1064 (LEAD for Kids Act, failed)
The Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act (AB 1064) was passed by the California Legislature in 2025 but vetoed by Governor Newsom, who signed the narrower SB 243 in its place. Status: failed; SB 243 is the operative replacement.
California SB 243 (Companion Chatbot Safeguards)
SB 243 was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 13, 2025 and took effect on January 1, 2026. It applies to operators of “companion chatbots,” defined as AI systems that provide “adaptive, human like responses” and are “capable of meeting a user’s social needs.” The law requires clear and conspicuous notice that the chatbot is AI generated. Where the operator knows the user is a minor, additional duties attach: explicit disclosure to the minor, notifications every three hours reminding the minor that they are interacting with AI, protocols to address suicide and self harm content, and prohibitions on sexually explicit content or solicitation. The law exempts customer service chatbots, certain video game features, and standalone devices such as voice activated assistants. Enforcement is by civil action with damages of $1,000 per violation or actual damages, attorney’s fees, and injunctive relief.
European Union (AI Companions in Resolution)
The European Parliament’s November 26, 2025 non binding resolution explicitly extends its proposed under 16 minimum age (with parental consent for 13 to 15) to “AI companions that present risks to minors.” Status: pending (non binding).
Federal AWARE Act
The AI Warnings and Resources for Education (AWARE) Act was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee as of September 2025. Status: pending.
Federal GUARD Act
The Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue Act of 2025 (GUARD Act) was introduced on October 28, 2025 by Senators Hawley, Blumenthal, Britt, Warner, and Murphy. The bill would require AI chatbots to regularly disclose their non human status, prohibit them from claiming to be licensed professionals (therapist, lawyer, physician), and require age verification to prohibit minors (defined as anyone under 18) from accessing AI companions. It criminalizes knowingly making available to minors AI chatbots that solicit sexually explicit content or that promote suicide, self harm, or violence. Public right of action via U.S. and state Attorneys General. Status: pending.
United Kingdom (AI under Online Safety Act)
The UK’s Online Safety Act treats AI services that produce or host harmful content as in scope. Ofcom’s January 2026 actions included opening formal investigations into X (regarding the Grok chatbot) and an AI service called Joi.com, signaling that enforcement now extends to generative AI platforms. Status: active.
Section 6: Online Gambling
While online gambling has had age verification requirements for many years and is therefore not novel, several jurisdictions have tightened controls during 2025 and 2026, which warrants a short summary.
Overview Table: Online Gambling Age Verification (Selected Jurisdictions)
| Region | Minimum Age | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark (Gambling) | 18 (NemID/MitID) | Active |
| Germany (Gambling) | 18 | Active (tightened 2025) |
| Sweden (Gambling) | 18 (BankID standard) | Active |
| United Kingdom (Gambling) | 18 | Active |
| United States (state level) | 18 to 21 (varies) | Active (state by state) |
Denmark
Danish operators integrate with the national digital identity system (formerly NemID, now MitID). B2B gambling suppliers must hold a separate Danish Gambling Authority license effective January 1, 2025. Minimum age: 18.
Germany
Since 2025, Germany’s online gambling market requires KYC procedures to be completed immediately on sign up. All licensed operators must integrate with the centralized OASIS self exclusion database. Minimum age: 18.
Sweden
Swedish operators use BankID as the de facto identity and age verification standard, blocking minors at the authentication layer. Minimum age: 18.
United Kingdom
The UK Gambling Commission requires online gambling operators to verify identity and age before customers can deposit funds or place bets. The previous 72 hour grace period has been eliminated, requiring immediate KYC at sign up. A separate ban on credit card use for online gambling is scheduled to take effect in April 2026.
United States
There is no federal U.S. online gambling age verification statute. State licensing frameworks set the minimum age between 18 and 21 depending on the state and the gambling product. Operators must conduct identity verification, age verification, and source of funds checks before allowing wagering.
Practical Guidance for Site Owners
The patchwork of age verification laws now in force means that any commercial online service with U.S. or international reach should plan around several common elements rather than chase each statute. Among the recurring themes:
The dominant content threshold for adult content laws is “one third or more pornographic content,” but Wyoming (no threshold) and Kansas (25 percent) are outliers, and Ohio adds geofencing on top of verification. Site owners should assess content composition by state rather than relying on a single global threshold. Where a private right of action applies, the cost of a single non compliant access can be substantial; conservative compliance is generally cheaper than litigation defense.
Permitted verification methods cluster around four categories: government issued ID upload (or scan), commercial database lookup using transaction data, third party age verification services, and facial age estimation. France’s “double anonymity” model and the UK’s “highly effective age assurance” standard both require that the website itself not handle the underlying identity data, which is converging toward a token based architecture. The EU Digital Identity Wallet (operational by December 31, 2026) is positioned to become the primary interoperable standard across Europe.
Social media compliance is the most uncertain area legally. With most U.S. state laws enjoined and Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, and (likely) France imposing different age thresholds and methods, multinational platforms have begun to implement age verification globally by default rather than building per jurisdiction logic. Where injunctions are stayed mid year (as with Florida and Mississippi), operators that have built compliance infrastructure can resume enforcement quickly; those that have not face immediate exposure.
App store and operating system level age signaling (Utah, Texas, Louisiana, California AB 1043) represents a structurally different model from per site age verification. If these laws survive constitutional challenge (Texas’s is currently enjoined; Utah’s is being challenged), the practical effect would be to shift the verification burden up the stack to OS and app store providers and to give downstream apps a low friction age signal. Site owners should monitor this track separately from social media and adult content tracks.
AI chatbot regulation is the newest area and is moving fast. California’s SB 243 is the operative model in the U.S.; the federal GUARD Act, if passed, would impose a uniform under 18 ban for AI companion chatbots. Any service that produces “adaptive, human like responses” capable of meeting social needs should plan to disclose AI status, implement safety protocols, and verify user age before launch.
Finally, enforcement timelines have compressed dramatically. The UK opened 90+ investigations within seven months of Ofcom’s July 2025 enforcement start. Australia removed 4.7 million under 16 accounts within five weeks. Site owners that wait for a regulator letter or a private lawsuit before implementing age verification are increasingly likely to face a meaningful penalty rather than a warning.
Sources
Principal sources consulted for this review include the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA) state by state trackers, the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom), the Australian eSafety Commissioner, the European Commission Digital Services Act guidance, ARCOM (France), AGCOM (Italy), KJM (Germany), the OAIC (Australia), the National Press and Publication Administration (China), and primary statute texts and bill trackers from state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, the Canadian Parliament, and Wikipedia legislative history pages. Specific statute citations and effective dates are provided inline. For ongoing compliance, the AVPA and individual state legislature websites remain the most current authoritative resources.