New York Governor Hochul signs law barring unsafe AI chatbot features for under-18s
Governor Kathy Hochul signed S9051 on 28 October, barring chatbots from posing as humans, acting as partners or promoting self-harm with users under 18.
Summary
New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed S9051-B on 28 October 2026, a law that bars operators of AI chatbots from offering a list of features to users under 18. Chatbots may not claim human feelings, act as a friend, romantic partner or therapist, or promote suicide, self-harm or eating disorders. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $25,000 each. The law limits features rather than banning minors from chatbots.