# NY Gov. Hochul signs bills banning unsafe AI chatbot features for minors

Digest AI · Policy & Regulation · published 2026-10-28T19:10:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/ny-gov-hochul-signs-bills-banning-unsafe-ai-chatbot-features-for-minor

## Summary

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed two bills on Wednesday aimed at protecting children from AI risks, a move aligned with her reelection campaign ahead of next week's election. The first measure imposes strict restrictions on AI chatbots interacting with minors, specifically banning "unsafe features" such as sexually explicit content, encouragement of self-harm, or pretending to be human. Companies must verify user ages, and the state Attorney General's office can seek civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation. This bill takes effect in the coming months.

The second bill requires internet-connected baby monitors to include security features that block outside watchers or listeners. This measure takes effect in 90 days. Hochul framed these actions as part of a broader push to regulate technology's impact on children, following previous state laws on social media and school cell phones. While child safety advocates like Common Sense Media supported the laws, business groups have criticized the scope of the chatbot regulations. The legislation reflects a trend of states stepping in to regulate tech in the absence of comprehensive federal standards.

## Key points

- NY bans AI chatbots from using unsafe features like self-harm encouragement for minors.
- Violations of the chatbot law carry civil penalties of up to $25,000 per instance.
- Internet-connected baby monitors must block outside watchers within 90 days.

## Why it matters

New York's strict AI chatbot rules for minors set a high bar for state-level regulation, potentially influencing other states and forcing AI companies to implement robust age verification and safety filters.

## Sources

1. [NY Gov. Kathy Hochul signs bills banning AI chatbots from using "unsafe features" for minors and requiring security features in internet-connected baby monitors](https://news.bgov.com/bloomberg-government-news/hochul-signs-bills-on-ai-risks-to-children-in-pre-election-push) (news.bgov.com, 2026-10-28)

## Cite

Digest AI, "NY Gov. Hochul signs bills banning unsafe AI chatbot features for minors", 28 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/ny-gov-hochul-signs-bills-banning-unsafe-ai-chatbot-features-for-minor

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