Bills that Restrict Minor Access to Social Media (HB 1408, SB 199 & Others)

While some of these bills failed, similar language may reappear later this session as an amendment or be reintroduced in a future session.

HB 1408: Education matters, authored by Rep. Behning, Davis, Cash, and King.
Status: Conference Committee Report adopted by House.

SB 199: Various education matters, authored by Sen. Jeff Raatz, Sen. Linda Rogers.
Status: Moved forward without language.

HB 1178: Minor access to social media, authored by Rep. King, Behning, and Rep. Jake Teshka
Status: Failed

SB 129: Age verification for access to social media, authored by Sen. Mike Bohacek, Sen. Liz Brown
Status: Failed

Language from SB 199 was stripped and added to HB 1408 in conference committee. HB 1408 now requires social media providers to determine the age and Indiana residency of anyone seeking to create an account and creates a 10-year, ongoing “age estimation” system tied to usage thresholds, additional activity, and the collection of demographic information.

The bill applies to platforms with at least $1 billion in global revenue that use algorithmic content feeds, include “addictive features” like infinite scroll and autoplay, and have significant teen usage. Covered platforms must use “commercially reasonable methods” to determine whether a user is an Indiana resident and under 16, and must obtain verifiable parental consent before allowing adolescents to create accounts. It also requires ongoing age checks based on usage thresholds and mandates account termination if a minor cannot provide parental consent. This would force Hoosiers to repeatedly verify their age and location through commercial methods that may rely on transactional data, database checks, or third-party systems, requiring adults to surrender personal information and their anonymity to access lawful free speech online.

Accounts for users under 16 must automatically include locked safety settings, including limits on direct messages and search visibility, and bans on algorithmic recommendations and behavior-based ads. Violations are treated as deceptive acts under Indiana’s Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and are enforceable by the attorney general.

We all want kids to be safe online, but we oppose HB 1408’s approach because it conditions access to lawful speech on recurring age and residency verification, pushing Hoosiers to hand over personal information and lose anonymity just to participate online. Its vague standards and enforcement penalties will drive platforms to over-collect data, block lawful users who can’t prove their age, and chill protected speech for adults and minors alike. Indiana can protect kids through alternative safety measures and targeted enforcement against harmful conduct without a one-size-fits-all system.