An Act to Regulate Social Media Use by Minors Under 16 Years of
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0844
Committee: Housing and Economic Development
Sponsors: FREDETTE

Legislative Document
No. 844
H.P. 530
House of Representatives, March 4, 2025
An Act to Regulate Social Media Use by Minors Under 16 Years of 
Age
Reference to the Committee on Housing and Economic Development suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FREDETTE of Newport.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  10 MRSA c. 239 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 239
SOCIAL MEDIA SAFETY FOR MINORS
§1500-Z. Definitions 
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1.  Account holder. "Account holder" means a person who has an account or profile 
to use a social media company's social media platform.
2.  Minor. "Minor" has the same meaning as in Title 18-C, section 5-102, subsection 
18.  
3.  Parent. "Parent" has the same meaning as in Title 19-A, section 101, subsection 8.  
4.  Post. "Post" means content that an account holder makes available on a social media 
platform for other account holders to consume.
5.  Social media company. "Social media company" means a person that is an 
interactive computer service and that provides a social media platform.
6.  Social media platform. "Social media platform" means a website or Internet 
application that:
A.  Allows a person to create an account; and 
B.  Enables an account holder to communicate with other account holders through 
posts.
§1500-AA. Use of social media platform; age requirements
1.  Age verification. A social media company must verify the age of an individual who 
attempts to become an account holder.
2.  Individuals under 14 years of age. A social media company may not allow an 
individual who is a minor under 14 years of age to become an account holder or remain an 
account holder.
3.  Individuals who are 14 or 15 years of age. If an individual is a minor who is 14 
or 15 years of age, the social media company must verify that express parental consent has 
been provided pursuant to section 1500-BB for the minor to become an account holder or 
remain an account holder.
§1500-BB.  Parental consent; requirements
1.  Verification of parental consent. To verify parental consent for an individual who 
is 14 or 15 years of age to become or remain an account holder, a social media company 
must require the individual's parent to provide:
A.  A government-issued identification document; and
B.  Documentation verifying parental authorization. 
2.  Retention and revocation of parental consent.  Upon receipt of parental consent 
in accordance with subsection 1, a social media company shall retain those records for no 
less than 2 years.  A social media company shall provide an easily accessible method for a 
parent to revoke parental consent and to request the termination of the individual's account 
for which the parent provided the consent.
§1500-CC. Applicability
This chapter does not prohibit access to educational platforms or services specifically 
designed for minors, as long as such platforms are not primarily social media platforms. 
§1500-DD. Parental right to report 
A parent or guardian of a minor who believes that the minor has been permitted to 
become an account holder of a social media company in violation of this chapter may file 
a complaint against the social media company with the Office of the Attorney General.
§1500-EE.  Enforcement; penalties 
The Attorney General shall enforce the provisions of this chapter.  A social media 
company that violates a provision of this chapter is subject to the following civil penalties 
recoverable by the Attorney General in a civil action.
1.  No prior violations; penalty.  A social media company that has no previous 
violations of this chapter may be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000 per violation. 
2.  Prior violation; penalty.  A social media company that is found to have a previous 
violation of this chapter may be fined an amount not to exceed $25,000 per violation. 
§1500-FF.  Rulemaking 
The Office of the Attorney General shall adopt rules to implement this chapter.  Rules 
must include, but are not limited to, procedures for verifying account holder age and 
parental consent.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as 
defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
SUMMARY
This bill requires social media companies to prohibit individuals under 14 years of age 
from becoming or remaining an account holder. The bill requires social media companies 
to verify the age of an individual who attempts to become an account holder and requires 
social media companies to obtain and verify parental consent of social media account 
holders who are 14 or 15 years of age. The bill requires the Attorney General to enforce 
these provisions and stipulates the penalties recoverable by the Attorney General. The bill 
also directs the Office of the Attorney General to adopt rules to implement the age 
verification and parental consent processes.