Alaska Unanimously Passes Sweeping AI and Social Media Bill
The Alaska House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill with major new restrictions on AI and social media platforms. The measure, which now heads to the Senate, aims to force algorithmic transparency, limit data collection, and control AI-generated content, reflecting a growing bipartisan push for tech regulation.
The recently passed House Bill 47 in Alaska, initially focused on criminalizing AI-generated child sexual abuse material, was significantly expanded through amendments from legislators like Rep. Zack Fields. The bill now includes a comprehensive "Alaska Social Media Regulation Act" aimed at protecting minors online. This expansion reflects a growing bipartisan consensus to create guardrails for rapidly advancing AI technologies and their integration into social media platforms. A key provision of HB 47 is the requirement for social media platforms to obtain parental consent before allowing minors under 18 to create an account. The bill also grants parents full access to their children's accounts, empowering them with greater oversight of their online activities. The legislation takes direct aim at the methods social media companies use to engage young users. It would prohibit platforms from using algorithms to target content to minors and would outlaw "addictive features" designed to encourage excessive or compulsive use. A default social media curfew for minors would also be established between 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., which parents could adjust. Beyond social media, the bill makes it a crime to create a synthetic sexual image of a real person and a misdemeanor to harass or threaten someone with a "forged digital likeness," commonly known as a deepfake. To hold platforms accountable, the bill includes a potential $1 million civil penalty for each instance their AI system is used to generate child sexual abuse material. This legislative effort in Alaska mirrors a national trend, with states like Utah also implementing age verification and parental consent laws for minors on social media. However, many of these state-level regulations are facing legal challenges on First Amendment grounds, with courts in some states temporarily blocking their enforcement. The original sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sarah Vance, has been working on the issue for several years. Following its unanimous 39-0 approval in the House, HB 47 now moves to the Alaska Senate for consideration. Lawmakers have indicated that the bill is likely to be reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Matt Claman.
