New York Enacts Safeguards for AI Chatbots Used by Children
WHO:
ABC News - Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, called the law “the strongest kids’ AI safety bill in the country.”
ABC News - Justine Gluck, a policy analyst at the Future of Privacy Forum, said New York’s and California’s approaches could serve as models for other states.
Techmeme - Kathy Hochul is the New York governor who signed the bills.
Engadget - The governor of New York signed a law concerning AI chatbot safety for children.
Mashable - The governor of New York signed a chatbot safety bill into law.
TechRadar - The Australian government introduced a Digital Duty of Care bill to regulate AI chatbots.
WHAT:
ABC News - Gluck said the law moves chatbot regulation beyond basic disclosures and crisis-response protocols to regulate chatbots’ underlying design and operation.
ABC News - Gluck said broad or undefined categories in the law could complicate enforcement by making it unclear “where ordinary conversational responsiveness ends and prohibited behavior begins.”
ABC News - The article reported that state legislatures are pursuing consumer-protection measures to make AI use more transparent and rein in chatbots and rogue AI frontier models.
ABC News - New York’s law defines a dozen “unsafe AI companion features” prohibited when chatbots interact with children under 18.
ABC News - A violation could expose a chatbot developer to a lawsuit by the state attorney general’s office; penalties could include monetary damages, shutting down the chatbot, and destroying data.
ABC News - Prohibited behaviors include implying the chatbot is a real person with emotions, opinions, or a relationship with the child; using flattery; providing sexually explicit material; or encouraging secrecy or unhealthy behavior.
ABC News - California legislation requires chatbot developers to assess risks to children, explain how they addressed those risks, and undergo an independent compliance audit; separate legislation bars social media platforms from deploying addictive features for users under 16.
ABC News - Eight states sued OpenAI, alleging its chatbot model violated state consumer protection laws by harming children and deceiving adults.
Techmeme - One bill bars AI chatbots from using “unsafe features” for minors.
Techmeme - A separate bill requires security features in internet-connected baby monitors.
Engadget - New York enacted a law addressing child safety in AI chatbots.
Engadget - A separate law aims to strengthen security on connected baby monitors.
Mashable - New York’s chatbot safety bill became law.
TechRadar - Australia introduced a proposed Digital Duty of Care bill to regulate AI chatbots.
TechRadar - The proposed ban is designed to shield social media users from content promoting misogyny, terrorism, and suicide.
WHERE:
Engadget - The chatbot safety law was enacted in New York.
Mashable - The chatbot safety bill was signed into law in New York.
TechRadar - The bill was introduced by the Australian government.
WHEN:
ABC News - New York’s law takes effect Jan. 1.
WHY:
ABC News - The article described the legislation as part of growing state efforts to protect children using AI, regulate employers’ deployment of AI systems, and prevent an AI-caused catastrophe.
ABC News - New York’s law addresses chatbot risks to children, including behavior that could foster unhealthy interactions.
Mashable - The New York chatbot safety bill is intended to protect children from harm.
TechRadar - The proposed ban is intended to shield social media users from content promoting misogyny, terrorism, and suicide.
(UPDATED October 29, 2026 00:00 UTC)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a law restricting AI chatbot features when they interact with children under 18, which Common Sense Media CEO Jim Steyer called “the strongest kids’ AI safety bill in the country.” The law prohibits chatbots from posing as real people or encouraging secrecy and unhealthy behavior, and violations could lead to state lawsuits, monetary damages, a shutdown, or data destruction; it takes effect Jan. 1.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 23:01 UTC)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law restricting a dozen unsafe AI chatbot features when interacting with children under 18, including pretending to have a personal relationship, using flattery, providing sexual content, or encouraging secrecy and unhealthy behavior. The state attorney general could sue developers over violations, with possible penalties including damages, shutting down a chatbot, or destroying data; the law takes effect Jan. 1.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 20:02 UTC)
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a law aimed at protecting children from harmful AI chatbot features. A separate New York law requires security features in internet-connected baby monitors. Meanwhile, Australia has introduced a proposed Digital Duty of Care bill to regulate AI chatbots and shield social media users from content promoting misogyny, terrorism, and suicide.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 19:06 UTC)
New York’s governor has signed a law aimed at protecting children from harm in AI chatbots. The state also enacted a separate law to strengthen security on connected baby monitors. In Australia, the government introduced a proposed Digital Duty of Care bill to regulate AI chatbots, alongside a proposed ban on social media content promoting misogyny, terrorism, and suicide.