Idaho
Idaho requires age verification on websites publishing material harmful to minors under a 2024 law (HB 498), in effect since July 2024 and apparently unchallenged in court, which led several major adult sites to exit the state rather than comply. A 2026 law (HB 542) separately requires large social media platforms to estimate user age and obtain parental consent for accounts held by Idahoans age 16 or younger, and took effect July 1, 2026. Idaho has not enacted an app store age verification or design code law.
Subnational jurisdiction. Reviewed 2026-07-15.
HB 498 (2024), age verification for material harmful to minors
Requires a publisher of a website where more than one third of content is harmful to minors to perform reasonable age verification, via a digitized identification card or a commercial age verification system using government issued identification or transactional data, and prevent minors from accessing the material. Creates a private right of action with statutory damages of at least $10,000 per violation. Enacted as 2024 Idaho Session Laws chapter 113.
- Citation
- Idaho Code Secs. 6-3801 to 6-3809
- Status
- In force
- Effective date
- 2024-07-01
- Applies to
- Private sector
- Age threshold
- 18
- Verification methods
- gov id, digital id, transactional data, third party service
- Penalties
- Statutory damages of not less than $10,000 per violation, plus court costs and attorney fees.
- Private right of action
- yes
- Source
- Idaho Code Secs. 6-3801 to 6-3809
HB 542 (2026), Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act
Requires large social media platforms, those with at least $1 billion in worldwide advertising revenue, to use reasonable age estimation for Idaho account holders and obtain verifiable parental consent before a child, defined as an Idaho resident 16 years of age or younger, may hold an account, and bars addictive interface features and certain advertising directed at children. A platform may treat an account holder as an adult only with at least 80 percent confidence the user is older than 16. Creates a private right of action. Signed April 2, 2026, as 2026 Idaho Session Laws chapter 268.
- Citation
- Idaho Code tit. 48, ch. 21 (2026 Idaho Sess. Laws ch. 268)
- Status
- In force
- Effective date
- 2026-07-01
- Applies to
- Private sector
- Age threshold
- 17
- Verification methods
- parental consent, third party service, self declaration
- Enforcement body
- Private civil action; Idaho Attorney General
- Private right of action
- yes
- Source
- Idaho Code tit. 48, ch. 21 (2026 Idaho Sess. Laws ch. 268)
Reviewed 2026-07-15. Confidence: high. Fast-moving area, verify before relying. Not legal advice.