Rhode Island Children's Privacy Laws (2026)

Rhode Island Social Media Regulation Act · H7953 / S2968 (2026)

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

Ages: under 18 (minors)

Requires: Would bar Rhode Island minors (under 18) from holding an account on a covered social media platform (5M+ worldwide account holders) without a parent/guardian's express consent; requires age verification at account creation (or within 14 days) plus default minor protections (no DMs from non-friends, no ads/targeting, restricted data, 10:30pm-6:30am access block) and parental access credentials.

Litigation: None — bill not enacted; no litigation.

Rhode Island Children's Online Safety Act · H7746 (2026)

Pending — A bill was introduced this cycle but is not yet law. · Age assurance · binds platforms, operators

Ages: under 18, with heightened controls for under 13

Requires: Would require covered online platforms to perform commercially reasonable age verification and apply default safety settings for minors — disabling open chats, blocking direct messages, profile views, and tagging by unapproved users, and barring financial transactions with minors absent affirmative parental approval; for users under 13, parental approval is required for new connections and any financial transactions. Child-directed age-assurance (in scope), not an adult-content age gate.

Litigation: None — bill not enacted; no litigation.

Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act (RIDTPPA) — minors' provisions · H7787 / S2500 (2024)

In force — Effective and enforceable today. · Privacy law (minors) · effective 2026-01-01 · binds operators

Ages: Known children under 13 (per COPPA); no separate teen 13-17 protections

Requires: A controller must obtain consent before processing the personal data of a consumer it knows to be a 'known child' (under 13), and process such data in accordance with COPPA — a controller that complies with COPPA's verifiable-parental-consent requirements is deemed compliant. Sensitive data of a known child may not be processed without consent. Unlike most newer state laws, the RIDTPPA imposes no heightened opt-in duties for teens 13-17 for targeted advertising, sale, or profiling beyond the general consumer opt-out rights.