Cybersecurity Policy Report, Social Media Safety Bill on Agenda in Alaska Senate, (May 1, 2026)
The Alaska state Senate Committee on Labor and Commerce is meeting this week to consider a recently introduced bill that would prohibit social media platforms from allowing minors under 16 to hold accounts.
SB 262 would require social media platforms to prohibit individuals under 16 from creating accounts and mandate the termination of existing accounts for such users, with a 90-day dispute period before final termination. According to the bill, minors under 16 may request account termination, which must be processed within five business days, and all related data must be permanently deleted unless retention is legally required. The bill also would restrict the use of personal data from users under 18 in personalized recommendation systems, except for content displayed in chronological order based on user selection.
The state attorney general would enforce the bill and seek remedies, including punitive damages, for patterns of knowing or reckless violations. The bill would not allow private individuals to bring actions under the general consumer protection statutes. However, a specific private cause of action would be created for minors under 18 who are harmed by knowing or reckless violations, allowing them (through a parent or guardian) to seek up to $10,000 in damages within one year of discovering the violation.
The bill would apply to social media platforms meeting the following thresholds: (1) at least 10% of daily active users under 18 spending two or more hours per day on the platform and (2) the presence of addictive features such as infinite scrolling, push notifications, interactive metrics, autoplay videos, or live streaming.
The bill (S.B. 262, Reg Sess.) has an effective date of Jan. 1, 2027. Sen. Jesse Bjorkman (R.) is the sponsor.
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