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State Children's Privacy Law Tracker / North Carolina

North Carolina Children's Privacy Laws (2026)

1 law tracked · overall: Pending · current as of June 28, 2026

North Carolina has one tracked children's privacy law — each listed below with its status, the ages it covers, litigation posture, and a link to the official primary source. For the interactive view, open North Carolina in the tracker map.

Social Media and AI Safety Act (HB 301) · HB 301 (2025-2026 Session)

Pending — A bill was introduced this cycle but is not yet law. · Social media · binds platforms

Ages: Under 14 barred from accounts; 14-15 require parental consent

Requires: Prohibits social media accounts for minors under 14 on 'addictive' platforms; requires verifiable parental/guardian consent for 14- and 15-year-olds; mandates platforms terminate prohibited minors' accounts and delete their personal data; requires age verification for new accounts (account holder's choice of anonymous or standard age verification). 'Addictive platform' defined by features like infinite scrolling, autoplay video, and unblockable push notifications. NC DOJ enforcement as unfair/deceptive trade practice; civil penalties up to $50,000/violation and up to $10,000 damages per affected minor.

Litigation: None — bill is not yet law, so no litigation or injunction. (App store age-verification clearinghouse idea backed by Meta/Rep. Zenger is a debated amendment within HB 301, not a separate enacted bill.)

Primary source

Also on the books (out of scope): Pornography Age Verification Enforcement Act (PAVE Act) — HB 8 / SL 2023-132, N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-500 et seq.; adult-site age verification effective Jan. 1, 2024; in force.; Prevent Sexual Exploitation of Women and Minors Act — HB 805 / SL 2025-84, N.C.; Earlier HB 301 'material harmful to minors' age-verification provision (removed by the April 2025 House committee substitute; the filed edition's proposed G.S. § 114B-3 required 16+ age checks). — out-of-scope mandates (like adult-content age-gates) are tracked separately and don't set this state's status.

Federal · COPPAapplies here too

Regardless of state law, COPPA governs personal information collected from children under 13: notice, verifiable parental consent, data minimization, and — under the 2025 amended Rule — limits on retention and third-party sharing.

Source

How North Carolina compares

Not legal advice. I build products for a living; I'm not a lawyer. Compiled from primary sources and reviewed monthly as part of the State Children's Privacy Law Tracker; AI-assisted research, verified against each law's official source — but laws and injunctions change fast, so confirm the latest before relying on it. Related: COPPA's Gray Areas.