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 keep children's best interests in mind when building and designing those products. In other words, businesses couldn't just design their platforms for maximum engagement or profit without also thinking about how their choices might affect young users. The idea is to build child-friendly protections directly into the design of online products, rather than simply reacting after harm has already occurred.

The bill applies to "covered entities" — essentially businesses that provide online services, products, or features where children are a reasonably expected part of the audience. This could include social media platforms, gaming apps, streaming services, educational tools, and many other websites or applications that minors regularly use. These companies would be expected to weigh the well-being of child users when making decisions about things like data collection, recommended content, and platform features.

Practically speaking, this type of legislation — sometimes called an "Age-Appropriate Design Code" — has been modeled after similar laws in the United Kingdom and other states like California. It shifts some responsibility onto the companies themselves, rather than placing the full burden on parents or children to navigate potentially harmful online environments.

Currently, the bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has recommended it be held for further study. A hearing is scheduled for March 2026, meaning the bill is still in early stages and has not yet been passed into law.