AL HB171

Social media platforms operating "addictive feeds" (algorithmically recommended content) must implement age verification to ensure users are 18+ or obtain verifiable parental consent before providing such feeds to minors

Platforms are prohibited from sending notifications to known minors between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Operators must publicly disclose descriptions of their algorithmic systems, data inputs, and algorithmic weights, plus annual disclosures of objectives and performance metrics for teams designing addictive feeds

Information collected for age verification must be deleted immediately after verification and cannot be used for other purposes; operators face liability if this data is improperly shared

Attorney General may enforce violations beginning April 1, 2027, with civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation, though operators receive 30 days to cure violations before legal action; effective date is October 1, 2026