New Jersey Senate Bill S3993

New Jersey 2026-2027 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/19/26
• Refer: 3/19/26

Caption

Requires age verification and parent or guardian consent for minor's use of social media platform; prohibits certain messaging between adults and minors on social media platform.

Summary

S3993 would regulate social media access for New Jersey minors by requiring parental or guardian consent before a minor can hold an account on a covered social media platform. To obtain that consent, the parent or guardian must provide government-issued identification and credit card information and authorize a small verification charge of up to 35 cents. The bill also requires social media companies to verify the age of new and existing New Jersey account holders and to deny access if verification is not completed within the required time frame. For minor accounts, the bill further restricts communications by prohibiting direct messaging between a minor and any adult user who is not connected through the platform’s “adding” feature, and it limits the collection and use of personal information from the minor’s account to what is necessary for legal compliance and verification. The Division of Consumer Affairs would enforce the law, handle complaints, and could impose civil penalties or bring enforcement actions. The bill also creates a private right of action for individuals, allowing lawsuits for damages, attorney fees, and court costs.

Impact

The bill would add a new layer of state regulation over social media companies operating in New Jersey, particularly those with at least five million account holders worldwide. It would require platforms to implement age-verification and parental-consent procedures for minors, restrict adult-to-minor direct messaging, and limit data use from minor accounts. It also authorizes the Division of Consumer Affairs to investigate and enforce violations, and it creates both administrative and private enforcement mechanisms with penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, plus possible actual damages and injunctive relief.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes, the overall sentiment appears to be protective of minors and focused on online safety, parental oversight, and privacy. The sponsor’s framing suggests the bill is intended to reduce unconsented social media use by minors and to curb potentially harmful adult-minor interactions on platforms. No recorded opposition, amendments, or vote history is provided in the materials, so there is no documented legislative debate to indicate broader support or resistance.

Contention

The main points of contention likely involve privacy, feasibility, and enforcement. Requiring parents or guardians to submit government-issued identification and credit card information, along with a verification charge, may raise concerns about data security and access barriers for families. Social media companies may also object to the operational burden of age verification, the messaging restrictions, and the limits on collecting account data. Another likely issue is the bill’s broad enforcement structure, which includes state penalties and a private right of action, potentially exposing platforms to litigation over compliance disputes.