United States of America: Kids Online Protection and Anti-Grooming Act (HB 37) was adopted Louisiana Legislature

On 6 June 2025, the Kids Online Protection and Anti-Grooming Act (HB 37) was adopted by the Louisiana Legislature. The Act applies to operators of covered platforms in Louisiana, defined as online platforms, online video games, messaging applications, and video streaming services used by minors under the age of 16. Broadband providers, email services, teleconferencing services, wireless messaging services, nonprofit corporations, business-to-business software, and professional networking platforms among others will be excluded. The Act will impose a duty of care on covered platform operators that contract with minors. Platforms will be required to implement default privacy settings for minor accounts, including prohibiting adults from connecting to a minor without express consent from the minor's legal representative, prohibiting adults from sending private or direct messages to a minor unless already connected, restricting the visibility of a minor's account to connected accounts only, and prohibiting the disclosure of a minor's precise geolocation to any person other than the minor's legal representative or authorised law enforcement. Platforms will also be required to notify a minor's legal representative within a reasonable time if the minor is exposed to sexually explicit material or a new connection is made on the platform. Legal representatives linked to a minor's account through parental supervision tools will be able to manage account settings, view and block connected accounts, and place limits on microtransactions. A legal representative may opt out of these protections by providing express consent to the platform. Violations will be subject to civil fines of up to USD 10'000 per violation, enforced by the Attorney General. Operators will have 45 days to cure an alleged violation upon written notice before the Attorney General may file a civil enforcement action. The Act will enter into force on 1 June 2026.