HB298 Summary: Protection of Minors from Unfiltered Devices Act

• Beginning January 1, 2024, manufacturers must automatically enable content filters on tablets and smartphones activated in Alabama that prevent access to material harmful to minors across mobile data networks, browsers, search engines, and wireless/wired internet.

• Manufacturers must provide filters that notify users when websites are blocked and allow password-protected users to unblock sites, while reasonably preventing non-password users from deactivating or modifying the filter.

• Parents or legal guardians of minors can bring private lawsuits against manufacturers for violations, recovering actual damages, liquidated damages up to $50,000 per violation, punitive damages if willful, court costs, and attorney's fees; class action lawsuits are prohibited.

• The Attorney General can seek injunctions, civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation (maximum $50,000 aggregate), investigative costs, and attorney's fees; manufacturers are liable for each device manufactured in violation starting January 1 of the year following the effective date.

• Good faith efforts to provide generally accepted and commercially reasonable filtration methods exempt manufacturers from liability; retailers cannot be held liable; the act does not affect other existing private rights of action.