New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an AI chatbot child safety law meant to protect children from harmful chatbots. Companies must verify user ages and follow strict limits when a user is under 18 or has not been confirmed as an adult.
The new rules take effect in six months. Common Sense Media called it the strongest kids’ AI safety bill in the country.
What the AI Chatbot Child Safety Law Requires
AI companies will have to check users’ ages and offer at least one verification method that does not rely entirely on government ID. They must delete the age information after they use it.
Until a user is confirmed as an adult, the chatbot has to follow extra restrictions. For example, it cannot pretend to be a real person, to be alive or to have human emotions.
What Chatbots Can No Longer Do With Minors
According to the state’s press release, the law bans chatbots from several behaviors when they talk with children:
- Claiming a personal, romantic, professional or authority-figure relationship
- Asking unprompted emotional questions or using private health details from past chats
- Promoting or helping with suicide, self harm, eating disorders or drug and alcohol use
- Pushing kids to keep secrets, isolate themselves or avoid asking trusted adults for help
- Producing sexually explicit content or child sexual abuse material
Penalties and Enforcement
The public will get a website to file complaints with the New York attorney general. Companies that break the law can face civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, plus damages and restitution.
They may also have to delete data they collected unlawfully, along with any models trained on that data.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signed by | Gov. Kathy Hochul |
| Sponsors | Sen. Gonzalez and Assemblymember Bores |
| Takes effect | In six months |
| Maximum penalty | $25,000 per violation |
| Enforcer | New York attorney general |
Why AI Chatbot Child Safety Matters
Child safety has become one of the most active areas of AI regulation this year, and New York is now one of the first states to write detailed chatbot rules for minors. The law covers any company that offers a chatbot to the public in the state, not just the largest names.
Hochul said she was surprised a law was needed to stop chatbots from encouraging suicidal thoughts, calling it something obvious. She said it builds on the state’s Safe for Kids Act.
The move follows other pressure on the industry. Earlier this month, eight states filed lawsuits against OpenAI over child safety, and New York City banned generative AI in public school classrooms for younger students for a year.
Hochul also signed a separate law requiring internet-connected baby monitors sold in the state to block unauthorized viewers and carry security warning labels. That one takes effect in 90 days.
What This Means for You
If you are a parent in New York, expect more age checks when your kids use chatbot apps. If you live elsewhere, this law may become a model for your state.
- Expect age verification prompts in chatbot apps used in New York
- Talk with your kids about what chatbots can and cannot be
- Review the lawsuits against OpenAI for the wider picture
- Follow new rules in our AI news coverage
Companies that run a chatbot for the public will need to review their safeguards before the law starts.
Sources
Primary source: none located, because the governor’s press release could not be found and read directly. Reporting from Engadget.
Conclusion
New York has set tough rules for how AI chatbots treat kids, with real penalties behind them. Other states are likely to watch how it works once it takes effect.
