NJ A4015: "New Jersey Kids Code Act"; adopts New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code and requires certain online service providers to implement certain measures…

In one paragraph

New Jersey's A 4015 (P.L.2026, c.73), the New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code, covers online services that display user content and let account holders interact, are reasonably likely to be accessed by minors, and whose providers earn over $25 million a year or process data of 25,000+ consumers or households. For users they know are under 18, providers must set the highest privacy by default, limit notifications, keep their data out of algorithmic recommendations unless based on their settings or requests, and take reasonable steps against compulsive use. Enforced under the Consumer Fraud Act, with private suits. Approved August 11, 2026; effective September 1, 2027.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

User-content platforms likely to be used by minors (over $25 million revenue or 25,000+ consumers' data) must redesign defaults, notifications, recommendation algorithms and data practices for known minors by September 1, 2027, or face Consumer Fraud Act enforcement and private suits.

Key provisions

1. 1Covered online service provider: an entity that provides an online service, does business in New Jersey, has services reasonably likely to be accessed by a child or minor, and has annual gross revenue over $25,000,000 (CPI-adjusted every two years from January 1, 2029) or annually processes personal data of at least 25,000 consumers or households; entities that solely provide direct messaging are excluded
2. 2Online service: a public internet service or product that displays account-holder content, has a New Jersey account holder and makes interacting with other account holders' content a central feature (telecommunications, broadband, email and physical products excluded); reasonably likely to be accessed includes COPPA child-directed services and services where at least 2% of the audience is aged 2 to 17
3. 3Duties run to users the provider has actual knowledge are under 13 or 13 to 17, including ages it infers or assigns for marketing or advertising. Highest privacy by default: on services using recommendation algorithms, their accounts, media and direct messages closed to adults other than parents unless they choose; no location display; no search-engine indexing; interaction counts off; no prompts or single settings to weaken privacy; blocking tools
4. 4No notifications by default, none from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. or from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays between Labor Day and Memorial Day; no ads targeted to them for narcotic drugs, tobacco, gambling or alcohol; no dark patterns
5. 5Their personal data may not be used in an algorithmic recommendation system except based on user- or parent-selected settings, search queries, age for age-appropriate content policies, or their express requests; providers using such systems must let them and parents set content preferences and review and change the data used
6. 6Data minimization; age-verification data used for nothing else and deleted within 15 days; accounts unpublished within 10 business days and deleted within 45 days of request; a real-time signal when precise geolocation is collected or activity is monitored; reasonable steps so data use and features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, gamification and appearance-altering filters do not cause compulsive use
7. 7Violations are unlawful practices under the Consumer Fraud Act enforced by the Attorney General; injured children and minors (or parents or the Attorney General for them) may sue, and for negligent or greater violations courts may award $5,000 per violation or treble damages, whichever is greater, punitive damages for reckless or knowing violations, injunctions and attorney's fees
8. 8Approved August 11, 2026 (P.L.2026, c.73); takes effect on the first day of the 13th month after enactment (September 1, 2027)

Latest legislative action

Aug 11, 2026. Approved P.L.2026, c.73.

Sponsors (showing 5 of 21)

Roll call votes