Requires that any covered entity that develops/provides online services, products, or features that children are reasonably likely to access shall consider the best interest of children when designing/developing such online service, product, or feature.

Rhode Island Age-Appropriate Design Code: Plain-English Summary

This bill would require companies that operate websites, apps, or other online services that children are likely to use to actively consider children's best interests when building and designing those products. In other words, businesses couldn't just design digital products for maximum engagement or profit without also thinking about how those design choices might affect young users. The bill applies to "covered entities," which generally means businesses that offer online services, products, or features where children are a reasonably expected part of the audience.

Under this bill, companies would need to build child-friendly protections directly into their products from the start, rather than adding them as an afterthought. This could affect things like how content is recommended, what data is collected, how privacy settings are configured, and whether certain features — like autoplay or reward systems — are designed in ways that could harm children's well-being. The goal is to shift responsibility onto the companies building these products rather than placing the burden entirely on parents and children to protect themselves.

This bill would primarily affect technology companies, app developers, social media platforms, and any other online businesses whose services are accessible to minors. For families, it could mean that the digital products their children use are designed with safety and well-being in mind by default. The bill has been referred to the House Innovation, Internet, & Technology Committee and is scheduled for a hearing in April 2026, meaning it is still in the early stages of the legislative process.