Senate Bill ('SB') 196 relating to businesses' use of age-appropriate design was introduced, on 9 January 2023, and thereafter referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary on 13 January 2023. In particular, SB 196 aims to, among other things:

• require businesses that provide online products, services, or features that a child is reasonably likely to access to identify, evaluate, and mitigate risks to a child from online products, services, or features;
• restrict manners in which businesses may collect or use personal information of a child;
• require businesses that provide online products, services, or features that a child is reasonably likely to access to complete and retain Data Protection Impact Assessments ('DPIAs');
• require businesses to provide upon request completed assessments to the Attorney General ('AG');
• authorise the AG to bring action for injunctive relief, civil penalties, or attorney fees, enforcement costs, and disbursements against businesses for violations; and
• establish the Task Force on Age-Appropriate Design, which has competence in studying how children access, use, and are affected by online products, services, and features, and methods for mitigating risks.

Lastly, SB 196 provides that requirements and restrictions would become operative from 1 July 2024.

You can read the bill here and track its progress here.

UPDATE (17 July 2023)

Bill on use of age-appropriate design dies in Committee 

The bill died, on 25 June 2023, as it was still in committee at the time the legislative session ended on the same date. 

You can read the bill here and view its history here.