Governor’s State of State Address will include bill to protect kids

STATEWIDE — GOV. KATHY HOCHUL WILL INCLUDE BROOKLYN STATE SEN. ANDREW GOUNARDES’ BILL TO PROTECT KIDS ONLINE when she delivers her State of the State address next Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 13.

Gounardes’ “Stop Online Predators Act” protects kids on platforms like Roblox and builds on his work to make the internet safer for young people. The bill would protect minors from online predators by requiring online platforms to utilize a commercially reasonable form of age assurance, turn off open chat functions by default for kids, and require children’s profiles be set to private so strangers can’t view them without a friend request.

The law would also require parents to approve financial transactions connected to a child’s account and allow parents to view the account’s list of approved friends for children under 13. Enforcement against violations of the bill would be vested in the New York State Attorney General, who would be empowered to pursue damages of $5,000 per violation.

Hochul will highlight the law’s privacy requirements, the New York Times reported on Monday, Jan. 5.

State Sen. Julia Salazar, D-18, whose district stretches from Greenpoint into Queens, is a co-sponsor.

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