Regulon.AI — FL-SB-1344 · FL SB 1344 (Companion AI Chatbots)

Summary

Florida SB 1344 regulates operators of companion AI chatbots — AI systems primarily designed to simulate interpersonal, emotional, or therapeutic interaction. The bill requires age verification for all users (including freezing pre-existing accounts until verified), parental consent and account affiliation for minors, and blocking minors from sexually explicit AI chatbot content. Operators must display pop-up notifications at the start of every interaction and every 60 minutes thereafter informing users they are not communicating with a human. Enforcement is exclusively by the Florida Department of Legal Affairs with civil penalties up to $50,000 per violation; sections 501.211 and 501.212 (private FDUTPA enforcement) are expressly excluded. The bill died in the Commerce and Tourism committee.

Enforcement & Penalties

Enforcement Authority

Enforcement exclusively by the Department of Legal Affairs (Florida Attorney General). The Department may bring an action against an operator if it has reason to believe the operator is in violation. Violations are deemed unfair and deceptive trade practices actionable under Part II of Chapter 501, Florida Statutes, solely by the Department on behalf of users. Sections 501.211 and 501.212 (which provide private enforcement mechanisms under FDUTPA) do not apply, eliminating private suits under that statute. The Department may also initiate investigations, administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and evidence, and seek court orders compelling compliance. Third parties performing age verification for an operator in violation are independently liable as having committed an unfair and deceptive trade practice, actionable solely by the Department.

Penalties

Civil penalty of up to $50,000 per violation, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs, collectible by the Department. In addition to any other remedy available under Part II of Chapter 501, F.S. The statute does not preclude any other available remedy at law or equity. Entities or persons who fail to comply with subpoenas or investigations are liable for a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per week in violation, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.

Who Is Covered

"Operator" means any person who owns, operates, or otherwise makes available a companion AI chatbot to individuals in this state.

What Is Covered

"Companion AI chatbot" means any software-based artificial intelligence system or program that exists for the primary purpose of simulating interpersonal or emotional interaction, friendship, companionship, or therapeutic communication with a user.

Compliance Obligations 4 obligations · click obligation ID to open requirement page

MN-01 Minor User AI Safety Protections · MN-01.1 · Deployer · ChatbotMinors

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(2)-(4)

Plain Language

Operators must require every user to create an account before interacting with a companion AI chatbot. All accounts existing before July 1, 2026 must be frozen on that date and cannot be restored until the user provides age information verified through standard or anonymous age verification. For new accounts, age verification must occur at creation. Every user must be classified as a minor or adult. Operators have flexibility to choose the verification method — either a 'commercially reasonable method' they approve or the anonymous age verification method defined in § 501.1738. Compare to CA SB 243, which does not require account creation or pre-existing account freezing.

Statutory Text

(2) An operator shall require an individual seeking access to a companion AI chatbot to create a user account to use or otherwise interact with the chatbot. (3) With respect to companion AI chatbot user accounts in existence before July 1, 2026, an operator shall: (a) On such date, freeze or otherwise disable any such account; (b) Require the user of the frozen or disabled account to provide age information and verify that information using standard age verification or anonymous age verification before the functionality of such account may be restored; and (c) Using standard age verification or anonymous age verification, classify each user as either a minor or an adult. (4) Upon the creation of a new companion AI chatbot user account, an operator shall: (a) Request age information from the user; and (b) Verify the user's age using standard age verification or anonymous age verification.

MN-01 Minor User AI Safety Protections · MN-01.2 MN-01.6 · Deployer · ChatbotMinors

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(5)

Plain Language

When age verification identifies a user as a minor (under 18), three obligations are triggered: (1) the minor's account must be linked to a verified parental account; (2) the operator must obtain verifiable parental consent from the affiliated parent before granting the minor any chatbot access; and (3) the operator must block the minor from accessing any companion AI chatbot that prompts, promotes, solicits, or suggests sexually explicit communication. The blocking obligation targets the chatbot's behavioral characteristics — operators must evaluate whether each chatbot on their platform engages in sexually explicit content and prevent minor access to those that do. Compare to CA SB 243, which requires parental consent for minors but does not mandate a parental account affiliation structure.

Statutory Text

(5) If the age verification process determines that a user is a minor, an operator must do all of the following: (a) Require the account of such user to be affiliated with a parental account that has been verified using standard age verification or anonymous age verification; (b) Obtain verifiable parental consent from the holder of the affiliate parental account before allowing the minor to access and use the companion AI chatbot; and (c) Block the minor's access to any companion AI chatbot that prompts, promotes, solicits, or otherwise suggests sexually explicit communication.

D-01 Automated Processing Rights & Data Controls · D-01.6 · Deployer · ChatbotMinors

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(6)

Plain Language

Operators must protect the confidentiality of all age verification information collected from users, subject to the standards set forth in § 501.1738. This is a cross-reference obligation — the substantive confidentiality requirements are defined in the referenced statute, which likely includes data minimization and deletion requirements for age verification data. Practitioners should review § 501.1738 for the full scope of confidentiality protections required.

Statutory Text

(6) An operator shall protect the confidentiality of age information provided by a user for age verification in accordance with s. 501.1738.

T-01 AI Identity Disclosure · T-01.1 T-01.2 · Deployer · Chatbot

Fla. Stat. § 501.1739(7)

Plain Language

Operators must display a pop-up notification at the start of every companion AI chatbot interaction and at least every 60 minutes during continuing interactions, informing the user they are not communicating with a human. This is unconditional — it applies to all users regardless of whether a reasonable person would be misled. The pop-up must be a visible on-screen notification that the user can dismiss by interacting with it. Compare to CA SB 243, which requires three-hour periodic reminders for minors; FL SB 1344 imposes a stricter 60-minute interval for all users regardless of age. Unlike CA SB 243's conditional trigger for adults (only when a reasonable person could be misled), this disclosure is mandatory for every interaction.

Statutory Text

(7) At the beginning of any interaction between a user and a companion AI chatbot, and no less frequently than every 60 minutes thereafter during such interaction, an operator shall display a pop-up that notifies users that they are not engaging in dialogue with a human counterpart.