New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the first batch of policy proposals in the State of the State address for 2026 on January 5th. One of the key proposals is to require social media platforms, instant messaging services, and online gaming platforms to automatically enable the highest level of privacy and security settings for users under 18. Additionally, the use of “AI companions” and other highly interactive artificial intelligence features will be fully prohibited for minors. These measures aim to make New York one of the states with the strictest network safety regulations for minors in the United States.
Governor Hochul stated that the core of the new policy proposals is to “shift the responsibility of protecting children from individual parents to the technology platforms themselves.” The goal is to establish stricter safety and privacy standards for minors on social media, instant messaging, and online gaming platforms to prevent online sexual exploitation, scams, inappropriate content, and potentially harmful AI interactive functions.
The legislative proposals put forward by Hochul include the following measures:
1. Expand age verification mechanisms: Social media and online gaming platforms will be required to strengthen their age verification processes.
2. Default highest privacy settings: User accounts for minors will automatically activate the highest level of privacy, preventing non-friends from sending messages, viewing profiles, or tagging content. Location sharing will be turned off by default. Users under 13 will require parental consent to add contacts.
3. Restrict AI chatbot functions: Minors will be prohibited from using certain AI chat or companion functions integrated into the platforms.
4. Enhance parental control rights: Platforms must allow parents to set financial transaction limits for their children to prevent unauthorized online purchases.
Some aspects of the legislative proposal are derived from related bills previously introduced by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and State Assembly Member Nily Rozic.
In addition to platform regulation, Governor Hochul also announced a phased plan by the state government to provide Teen Mental Health First Aid training for all 10th-grade students statewide. The government estimates that once fully implemented, the program will cover over 180,000 students annually, with the long-term goal of equipping the majority of high school students with basic mental health recognition and coping skills.
Studies have shown that when teenagers face mental health or substance abuse issues, they often turn to peers for help first. Young people who receive appropriate training can better identify risks and respond effectively, potentially even saving lives in some cases.
The course primarily targets students aged 15 to 18 and covers common signs of mental health and substance use issues, the impact of campus bullying and violence on mental health, constructive communication with peers, and how to guide them to seek adult or professional assistance. Additionally, the government will provide updated “Youth Mental Health First Aid” training for adults in schools and communities who frequently interact with teenagers.