Minnesota legislature bills could ban minors from accessing online chatbots and penalize software owners
The sun shines on the Minnesota State Capitol on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in St. Paul, on the opening day of the 2024 session of the Minnesota Legislature. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)
Rep. Kristi Pursell (DFL) introduced a bill to the Minnesota House of Representatives on Thursday ban minors from using online chatbots for fun.
A chatbots is defined in the bill as “a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human
users, especially over the internet.” The bill would make it illegal for website, software, and app owners and operators to grant chatbot access to minors for recreational purposes.
The attorney general could enforce the proposed statute with legal action and violators could be liable for up to $5,000,000 in civil penalties.
Individuals could bring civil actions against owners and operators who violate the proposed statute. Courts could order violators to stop illegal practices and could find them liable for damages up to $1,000 plus reasonable attorney fees.
The bill would require operators to provide age-verification methods to access chatbots intended for recreational purposes.
The house bill is identical to its senate companion introduced by Sen. Erin Maye Quade (DFL) on Feb. 24.
The bill appears to have some bipartisan support in the senate after Maye Quade added Sen. Eric Lucero (R) and Sen. Zaynab Mohamed (DFL) as co-authors on Feb. 27, with Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL) added earlier this week.
The house bill has been referred to the Commerce, Finance and Policy committee and the senate bill has been referred to the Commerce and Consumer Protection committee.