(a) In relation to a known minor's use of a digital service, a digital service provider shall develop and implement a strategy to prevent the known minor's exposure to harmful material and other content that promotes, glorifies, or facilitates:
- (1) suicide, self-harm, or eating disorders;
- (2) substance abuse;
- (3) stalking, bullying, or harassment; or
- (4) grooming, trafficking, child pornography, or other sexual exploitation or abuse.
(b) A strategy developed under Subsection (a):
(1) must include:
- (A) creating and maintaining a comprehensive list of harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a) to block from display to a known minor;
- (B) using filtering technology and other protocols to enforce the blocking of material or content on the list under Paragraph (A);
- (C) using hash-sharing technology and other protocols to identify recurring harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a);
- (D) creating and maintaining a database of keywords used for filter evasion, such as identifiable misspellings, hash-tags, or identifiable homoglyphs;
- (E) performing standard human-performed monitoring reviews to ensure efficacy of filtering technology;
- (F) making available to users a comprehensive description of the categories of harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a) that will be filtered; and
- (G) except as provided by Section 509.058, making available the digital service provider's algorithm code to independent security researchers; and
(2) may include:
- (A) engaging a third party to rigorously review the digital service provider's content filtering technology;
- (B) participating in industry-specific partnerships to share best practices in preventing access to harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a); or
(C) conducting periodic independent audits to ensure:
- (i) continued compliance with the digital service provider's strategy; and
- (ii) efficacy of filtering technology and protocols used by the digital service provider.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 795 (H.B. 18), Sec. 2.01, eff. September 1, 2024.