New York Finalizes SAFE for Kids Act Rules on Social Media Age Verification

SAFE for Kids Act age verification algorithmic feed New York minors

Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James announced that New York has finalized the regulations for the SAFE for Kids Act. The rules aim to protect minors by curbing algorithm‑driven feeds and overnight notifications on major social‑media platforms.

Under the law, platforms must verify a user's age before offering personalized algorithmic feeds or allowing notifications between midnight and 6 a.m. for anyone under 18. Such features are disabled by default and can only be enabled with verified parental consent. Age‑verification methods may include government‑issued ID, facial‑age estimation or other approved techniques, and must meet strict accuracy thresholds.

The regulations take effect on 25 January 2027. Companies that fail to comply face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation. Collected verification data must be deleted or de‑identified immediately after use. The state expects the rules to set a precedent for child‑online‑safety policy nationwide.

Entities: Attorney General Letitia James · Governor Kathy Hochul · Instagram · Letitia James · New York (state) · New York State · SAFE for Kids Act · Social media platforms · TikTok

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Age‑verification methods must meet accuracy thresholds (e.g., false‑positive rates ≤0.1% for ages 0‑7, ≤1% for ages 8‑13, etc.).
[● 9 SOURCES] The rules require age verification for users under 18 before they can access algorithmic feeds or receive notifications between midnight and 6 a.m.
[● 9 SOURCES] Notifications between midnight and 6 a.m. are blocked for minors unless parents opt in.
[● 9 SOURCES] Algorithmic feeds are disabled by default for minors and can be enabled only with verified parental consent.
[● 5 SOURCES] Compliance is required by 25 January 2027; violations can be fined up to $5,000 each.
[● 9 SOURCES] The law is enforced through civil penalties and requires platforms to use approved age‑assurance technologies such as government ID, facial age estimation, or email analysis.
[● 6 SOURCES] Platforms must delete or de‑identify verification data immediately after use.
[● 9 SOURCES] New York finalized the SAFE for Kids Act regulations.