NJ Kids Code Act A4015 (signed Aug 11, 2026; effective Sept 1, 2027)

New Jersey A4015 / S3413 — Age-Appropriate Design Code (NJ Kids Code Act, Signed August 11, 2026)
NJ · N.J. A4015/S3413 (222nd Legislature, 2026) — signed Aug. 11, 2026; effective Sept. 1, 2027

Status
Enacted (not yet in effect)
Takes effect
September 1, 2027
Applies to
Online services and platforms reasonably likely to be accessed by children in New Jersey
Enforced by
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs; private right of action (parents on behalf of minors)

New Jersey's Kids Code Act (A4015/S3413), signed by Governor Sherrill on August 11, 2026, is the most aggressive Age-Appropriate Design Code law in the United States. Effective September 1, 2027, it requires online platforms likely to be accessed by children under 18 to: default privacy settings to the highest available protective level for minor users; ban push notifications during school hours and late at night; prohibit 'compulsive engagement' design features; conduct data protection impact assessments; restrict profiling and advertising; and minimize data collection to what is necessary. It is the first state design code with a private right of action — parents can sue for $5,000 per violation on behalf of their children — making it a much stronger enforcement tool than California's CAADCA (AG-only) or the federal KOSA.

Who is protected: Children (under 18) using online platforms and services in New Jersey

Legal detail

N.J. A4015/S3413 (222nd Legislature, 2026), signed Aug. 11, 2026, effective Sept. 1, 2027. Key obligations for covered online services 'likely to be accessed by minors': (1) privacy-by-default — highest available settings mandatory; (2) ban on push notifications during school hours and midnight–6 a.m.; (3) prohibition on design features engineered for compulsive engagement (autoplay, streaks, infinite scroll with addictive reward loops); (4) data protection impact assessment (DPIA) before deployment; (5) data minimization; (6) prohibition on profiling children for commercial purposes without verifiable parental consent; (7) algorithmic transparency — disclosure of curation algorithm purposes. Enforcement: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (AG-directed) + private right of action — $5,000 per violation per minor — making it the first state design-code law with private PRA. First-in-nation PRA provision significantly raises enforcement power beyond California AB 2273 (CAADCA, AG-only) and federal KOSA. Coverage threshold: online service 'reasonably likely to be accessed by' minors (same standard as CA CAADCA). Subject to First Amendment NetChoice-style challenges.

Key facts

JurisdictionNJ
LevelState
StrengthStronger
EnactedAugust 11, 2026
CitationN.J. A4015/S3413 (222nd Legislature, 2026) — signed Aug. 11, 2026; effective Sept. 1, 2027
Private right of actionYes, individuals can sue
Penalties$5,000 per violation per minor (private right of action); additional civil penalties from NJ Division of Consumer Affairs
Topicschildren's online safety · consumer protection · AI disclosure and transparency · automated decision-making
Agency pageGovernor Sherrill Signs Kids' Online Safety Package — NJ Governor's Office (August 11, 2026)

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