New York Attorney General Letitia James released final rules implementing the SAFE for Kids Act, which requires social media companies to restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under 18 unless they obtain parental consent. The rules establish age assurance standards, parental consent procedures, and data minimization requirements, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation for noncompliance.
Social media companies must implement age assurance methods meeting accuracy benchmarks, offer at least one alternative to government ID, delete or de-identify age data immediately after use, and conduct annual testing with results retained for 10 years. Parental consent must be obtained for addictive feeds and nighttime notifications, and minors can withdraw consent at any time. The OAG may seek civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation and injunctive relief.
In-house legal teams should review their platform terms of service, privacy policies, and data processing agreements to ensure compliance with the SAFE for Kids Act. Key clauses to update include age verification mechanisms, parental consent workflows, data minimization and deletion obligations for age assurance data, and restrictions on algorithmic feeds and nighttime notifications for minors. Vendor agreements with age verification service providers should include accuracy benchmarks, annual testing requirements, and data protection provisions. Customer-facing agreements (terms of service) must clearly explain how minors can opt out of addictive feeds and how parents can grant or withdraw consent.
Entity
New York State Office of the Attorney General
Industry
Social MediaOfficial Press Release
https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-and-governor-hochul-release-final-safe-kids-act-rules
safe for kids act final rule
https://ag.ny.gov/safe-for-kids-act-final-rule
safe for kids act nprm
https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/regulatory-documents/safe-for-kids-act-nprm.pdf
protecting children online
https://ag.ny.gov/resources/individuals/consumer-issues/technology/protecting-children-online
New York Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://ag.ny.gov/press-releases
"New York Attorney General Letitia James"
"civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation"
"SAFE for Kids Act"
"New York Child Data Protection Act"
"restrict algorithmically personalized feeds and nighttime notifications for users under the age of 18 unless they obtain parental consent"
New York Attorney General Letitia James released an updated guide warning voters that AI-generated election content and chatbots may provide misleading information. This is public guidance, not an enforcement action, and the release describes no penalty or privacy violation.
$2.6M
New York and Connecticut reached a settlement with Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its IT security provider, XTIUM, after a 2024 breach exposed private information of approximately 825,000 New York residents and 62,871 Connecticut residents. The companies will pay $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures; additional penalties are conditional on violating the settlement.
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$1.9M
New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a settlement after an investigation found Dollar General stores routinely charged customers more than advertised or posted prices and issued confusing receipts. Dollar General must donate $1.875 million in food and personal items to Foodlink and implement pricing, receipt, training, and audit reforms.
New York Attorney General Letitia James and a bipartisan coalition of 39 other attorneys general filed a motion in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy, citing risks to children and sensitive user information and potential violations of state privacy laws. The coalition asks the court, the company, and any prospective buyer to require meaningful privacy and safety protections; no fine or final remedy is reported.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, the FTC, and six other state attorneys general asked a federal court to hold Martin Shkreli in contempt for allegedly trading pharmaceutical stocks and discussing pharmaceutical companies in violation of his lifetime industry ban. The requested sanctions include divestiture, an accounting of his trading, forfeiture of trading profits, and possible further fines or incarceration; the release describes a request to the court, not a new ruling imposing those measures.