HB 4338 — Relating to the use of safety management software for children on large social media platforms.

Summary

Relating to the use of safety management software for children on large social media platforms.

Bill Text

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends the Texas statutes.

• SUBCHAPTER C-1. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA Sec. 509.121. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Child" means an individual who is under 17 years of age. (2) "Department" means the Department of Information Resources. (3) "Large social media platform" means a social media platform to which Chapter 120 applies. (4) "Third-party safety software provider" means an entity that provides software designed to manage online interactions, content, and account settings for the safety of children. (5) "User data" means any information needed to have a profile on a large social media platform or content on a large social media platform, including images, video, audio, or text, that is created by or sent to a child on or through the child's account with the platform. Sec. 509.122. REQUIREMENTS FOR LARGE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. (a) A large social media platform shall create, maintain, and make available to third-party safety software providers a set of real-time application programming interfaces that allow a child or a parent or legal guardian of a child to delegate permission to a third-party safety software provider to manage the online interactions, content, and account settings of the child on the large social media platform on the same terms as the child. (b) The application programming interfaces must be designed to allow third-party safety software providers to effectively manage and monitor a child's online activities and provide protections against cyberbullying, human trafficking, illegal drug distribution, sexual harassment, and violence. (c) A large social media platform shall establish and implement reasonable policies, practices, and procedures regarding the secure transfer of user data to third-party safety software providers. (d) In the case of a delegation made by a child or a parent or legal guardian of a child under this section, the large social media platform shall disclose to the child and the parent or legal guardian of the child that the delegation has been made and provide a summary of the user data that has been transferred to the third-party safety software provider. Sec. 509.123. IMPLEMENTATION BY DEPARTMENT. The department shall: (1) oversee the implementation of this subchapter; (2) establish guidelines and standards for the application programming interfaces and ensure compliance by large social media platforms; (3) conduct regular audits and assessments to ensure that large social media platforms are in compliance with the requirements of this subchapter; and (4) provide resources and support to parents and legal guardians using third-party safety software services to effectuate the protection of children from dangers including cyberbullying, human trafficking, illegal drug distribution, sexual harassment, and violence on large social media platforms. Sec. 509.124. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. (a) A large social media platform shall submit an annual report not later than January 1 to the department detailing the platform's compliance with the requirements of this subchapter. (b) The department shall submit an annual summary of all reports submitted by large social media platforms under this section not later than February 1 to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over large social media platforms highlighting the effectiveness of this subchapter and any areas needing improvement. Sec. 509.125. AUTHENTICATION. The department shall: (1) issue guidance to facilitate the ability of a third-party safety software provider to obtain user data or access in a manner that ensures that a request for user data or access on behalf of a child is a verifiable request; and (2) issue guidance for large social media platforms and third-party safety software providers regarding the maintenance of reasonable safety standards to protect user data. Sec. 509.126. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. In any civil ac

  amended

Action History

1. April 01, 2025

   Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

2. April 01, 2025

   Read first time

3. March 11, 2025

   Filed

Sponsors

• Janis Holt · Primary
• Keresa Richardson · Cosponsor
• Shelley Luther · Cosponsor

Subjects