Washington Children’s Privacy Laws (2026)

ESHB 2225 (Chapter 168, Laws of 2026); the act carries no short title

Enacted, not yet effective · AI companion · effective 2027-01-01 · binds operators

Ages: All users for the non-human disclosure and the suicide and self-harm protocol; minors under 18 for the hourly notice and the content and engagement duties, which trigger on operator knowledge or a chatbot directed to minors

AI chatbot access for minors: Safeguards only (enacted, applies from 2027-01-01).

Requires: AI companion chatbot operators must disclose non-human status at the start of an interaction and at least every three hours while it continues, and must maintain and implement a publicly disclosed suicide and self-harm protocol that expressly covers eating disorders and publishes the prior year's crisis referral count. For known minors or minor-directed chatbots, the notice tightens to at least every hour of continuous interaction, and operators must take reasonable measures to prevent sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue and to prohibit manipulative engagement techniques, including eight listed ones from return prompts to soliciting gifts and in-app purchases. A violation is a per se unfair or deceptive act under Washington's Consumer Protection Act, chapter 19.86 RCW, so the CPA supplies the remedies, including its private suit vehicle; the act creates no standalone right of action.

Litigation: None. Not challenged.

Entry last reviewed 2026-10-01