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Bill

HB 302

Establish age verification, parental consent for apps, developers

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Phil Plummer and 1 co-sponsor

Ohio bill requiring age verification and parental consent for app access to restrict minors' digital platform use and developer accountability.

Referred to committee
#commerce #publicsafety #technology
0
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Bill Summary · HB 302

Legislative bill overview

HB 302 would require social media and digital applications to implement age verification systems and obtain parental consent before minors can create accounts or access certain services. The bill establishes developer responsibilities for compliance and potential penalties for non-compliance with these age-gating requirements.

Why is this important

Child safety advocates argue that age verification and parental oversight can reduce minors' exposure to harmful content, predatory behavior, and addictive design practices. However, implementation affects millions of users, raises privacy concerns about data collection, and creates significant compliance costs that could reshape the digital landscape for both large platforms and smaller developers.

Potential points of contention

  • Privacy and data collection: Age verification typically requires collecting sensitive personal information; unclear how this data would be stored, secured, and prevented from being misused or sold
  • Technical feasibility and costs: Developing robust age verification systems is expensive and imperfect; smaller developers may face disproportionate burden compared to large tech companies
  • Parental consent authority: Bill doesn't clarify how parental consent mechanisms work for teens with limited parental oversight, emancipated minors, or divorced parents with shared custody
  • Free speech concerns: Restrictions on what minors can access may conflict with First Amendment protections and precedents around minors' speech rights
  • Interstate and federal jurisdiction: Ohio alone cannot regulate nationwide platforms; conflicts with other states' laws could create compliance chaos

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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