{"data":{"id":"us-tx/tex.-business-commerce-code-509.053","jurisdiction":"us-tx","citation":"Tex. Business \u0026 Commerce Code § 509.053","heading":"DIGITAL SERVICE PROVIDER DUTY TO PREVENT HARM TO KNOWN MINORS.","body":"(a) In relation to a known minor's use of a digital service, a digital service provider shall develop and implement a strategy to prevent the known minor's exposure to harmful material and other content that promotes, glorifies, or facilitates:\n(1) suicide, self-harm, or eating disorders;\n(2) substance abuse;\n(3) stalking, bullying, or harassment; or\n(4) grooming, trafficking, child pornography, or other sexual exploitation or abuse.\n(b) A strategy developed under Subsection (a):\n(1) must include:\n(A) creating and maintaining a comprehensive list of harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a) to block from display to a known minor;\n(B) using filtering technology and other protocols to enforce the blocking of material or content on the list under Paragraph (A);\n(C) using hash-sharing technology and other protocols to identify recurring harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a);\n(D) creating and maintaining a database of keywords used for filter evasion, such as identifiable misspellings, hash-tags, or identifiable homoglyphs;\n(E) performing standard human-performed monitoring reviews to ensure efficacy of filtering technology;\n(F) making available to users a comprehensive description of the categories of harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a) that will be filtered; and\n(G) except as provided by Section 509.058, making available the digital service provider's algorithm code to independent security researchers; and\n(2) may include:\n(A) engaging a third party to rigorously review the digital service provider's content filtering technology;\n(B) participating in industry-specific partnerships to share best practices in preventing access to harmful material or other content described by Subsection (a); or\n(C) conducting periodic independent audits to ensure:\n(i) continued compliance with the digital service provider's strategy; and\n(ii) efficacy of filtering technology and protocols used by the digital service provider.\nAdded by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 795 (H.B. 18), Sec. 2.01, eff. September 1, 2024.","path":["BUSINESS AND COMMERCE CODE","TITLE 11. PERSONAL IDENTITY INFORMATION","SUBTITLE A. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION","CHAPTER 509. USE OF DIGITAL SERVICES BY MINORS","SUBCHAPTER B. DIGITAL SERVICE PROVIDER DUTIES AND PROHIBITIONS"],"source_url":"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/BC/htm/BC.509.htm#509.053","current_through":"89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T01:46:56Z","sha256":"814df16daecf39027604d2412134594a3b8b7b58eea8200825f1934254cbfd56","source_id":"us-tx","stale":false,"prev":"us-tx/tex.-business-commerce-code-509.052","next":"us-tx/tex.-business-commerce-code-509.054"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}