HB 2400
In CommitteeHouse
Social media content
Concerning social media content creation.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill regulates how social media platforms and content creators handle monetized video content involving minors. It requires vloggers earning $12,000 or more to register as businesses, mandates that platforms or advertisers deposit compensation into trust accounts for minors featured in videos, and gives individuals the right to remove childhood content from platforms between ages 18 and 23.
- Vloggers with $12,000 or more in annual compensation from social media video content and a connection to Washington must register as a business with the Department of Revenue.
- Social media services and advertisers must place a pro rata share of compensation (based on how much time a minor child appears or is mentioned) into a trust account for each minor child featured in monetized videos.
- Minors (or their guardians) can request that social media platforms permanently delete or obscure monetized content featuring their childhood likeness, name, or photo between ages 18 and 23.
- Social media services with a Washington connection must file annual reports to the Department of Revenue about content creators, including how many are Washington residents, under 18, or feature minor children.
- Social media platforms must make information available to users about registration, trust account rights, and content removal rights.
- Violations carry civil penalties ranging from $1,000 to $50,000 per violation, depending on the section violated, and may include court-ordered damages or injunctive relief.
Who is affected
- Vloggers and content creators — Vloggers (individuals or businesses) who earn $12,000 or more in a year from compensated social media video content and have a connection to Washington must register with the Department of Revenue as a business.
- Minor children of vloggers — Minors whose likeness, name, or photo appears in their parent's compensated social media videos are entitled to have a portion of ad-based compensation placed in a trust account for their benefit until age 18.
- Social media services and third-party advertisers — Social media platforms and advertisers must set aside funds for minors in trust accounts, file annual reports, and comply with content removal requests — or face civil penalties.
- Adults who appeared as minors in monetized content — People who were featured as minors in monetized online content can request removal of that content between ages 18 and 23, and platforms must comply or obscure their image.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (5)
The trust account mechanism ensures that minors featured in monetized content receive a direct financial benefit from their participation—protecting them from exploitation and preserving earnings for their future. This directly benefits children who otherwise might not see any compensation for their on-camera presence in family vlogs.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 3The right to remove childhood content between ages 18 and 23 gives individuals control over their digital identity and protects against lifelong reputational harm from content created without consent during childhood. This is especially important for minors who were featured in viral or controversial content, and aligns with emerging norms of digital autonomy.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 5Registering as a business may provide vloggers access to formal business structures, legal protections (e.g., limited liability if incorporated), and eligibility for business-related services or credits—though this benefit is modest and only applies to those earning $12K+, a subset of creators.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 2Mandating that platforms disclose rights and requirements to users increases transparency and awareness about minors’ financial and privacy rights—empowering families and minors to assert their entitlements and hold platforms accountable.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 6Civil penalties and private right of action provide enforcement teeth, allowing harmed minors (or their guardians) to seek redress—though the structure favors individuals with legal resources, and the $10K–$50K penalties may not fully offset harms like reputational damage or lost earnings.
Public SafetyLean peopleRef: Sec. 7
Potential Concerns (5)
The $12,000 annual compensation threshold for business registration creates administrative burdens for vloggers who may be sole proprietors or micro-businesses, requiring them to register with DOR, obtain a business license, and comply with reporting obligations—even if their activity is part-time or seasonal. This could deter entry into content creation or increase compliance costs for low-revenue creators.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 2(2)The trust account requirement mandates that platforms and advertisers withhold compensation based on a pro rata share of a minor’s appearance time—potentially reducing the vlogger’s net income, especially when multiple minors appear in a video (where compensation is equally divided regardless of screen time). This may disincentivize families from featuring multiple children or discourage platforms from hosting family vlog content.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 3(2) & (3)The right to request deletion of childhood content between ages 18 and 23 may conflict with free expression and archival rights, particularly for content that has become part of public digital history or that the creator intended to be permanent. While well-intentioned, the mandatory deletion could erase consent-based, non-exploitative family documentation, and the 30-day enforcement window may be logistically unworkable for platforms with vast archives.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 5(1)The $50,000 statutory penalty per video for trust account violations—significantly higher than the actual compensation withheld—creates disproportionate liability risk for small vloggers or platforms that misinterpret pro rata calculations, especially when multiple minors appear. This may lead to over-compliance (e.g., platforms refusing to host family vlog content) or costly legal avoidance strategies.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 7(2)(b)(ii)Annual reporting requirements for social media platforms may burden smaller platforms disproportionately, potentially reducing competition in the social media space and consolidating market power among large platforms better equipped to absorb compliance costs—indirectly limiting content-creation opportunities for Washington residents on alternative platforms.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 4
Who Is Most Affected
Families who vlog together may benefit financially if they comply—minors earn trust funds—but may face reduced income due to withheld compensation and increased administrative burden. Some may choose to stop featuring children to avoid complexity.
Minors featured in monetized content gain financial protection and later control over their digital footprint—key benefits for long-term autonomy and economic security. However, they cannot consent to the trust mechanism at the time of filming.
Large platforms face high compliance costs and liability exposure, especially for misapplied pro rata calculations or missed deletion requests. This may lead to deplatforming of family vlog content or increased fees for creators, reducing access for smaller creators.
Adults who were featured as minors gain a powerful tool to reclaim digital identity, but may face challenges in identifying or locating old content, or in navigating platform removal systems—especially if content was shared across multiple platforms.
The state gains enforcement authority and potential revenue from penalties, but also incurs costs for oversight and dispute resolution. The bill does not create a dedicated revenue stream, and enforcement may strain DOR resources.