Florida HB 659: Sponsorship Identification Disclaimers

Bill Text

HB 659 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb659-00
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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to interactions with artificial 2
intelligence; creating s. 501.172, F.S.; providing 3
definitions; requiring operators of companion chatbot 4
platforms to display specified information on any 5
application, browser, or format used to access 6
companion chatbots on the platform and to prevent such 7
chatbots from interacting with users unless specified 8
protocols are maintained; requiring such operators to 9
verify the age of users and to take specified actions 10
for users who are minors; requiring such operators to 11
file specified reports with the Department of Legal 12
Affairs; providing that a violation constitutes an 13
unfair or deceptive act or practice; providing for 14
civil actions; providing construction; providing an 15
effective date. 16
17
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
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Section 1. Section 501.172, Florida Statutes, is created 20
to read: 21
501.172 Companion chatbots.— 22
(1) As used in this section, the term: 23
(a) "AI-generated" means any image, video, or audio that 24
is generated or modified by artificial intelligence which may 25

HB 659 2026

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portray realistic human likenesses or depictions. 26
(b) "Companion chatbot" means an artificial intelligence 27
system with a natural language interface that provides adaptive, 28
human-like responses to user inputs and is capable of meeting a 29
user's social needs, including by exhibiting anthropomorphic 30
features and being able to sustain a relationship across 31
multiple interactions. The term does not include: 32
1. A bot used only for customer service, business 33
operational purposes, or productivity and analysis related to 34
source information, internal research, or technical assistance; 35
2. A bot that is a feature of a video game and is limited 36
to replies related to the video game and that cannot discuss 37
topics related to mental health, self-harm, sexually explicit 38
conduct, or maintain a dialogue on other topics unrelated to the 39
video game; or 40
3. A stand-alone consumer electronic device that functions 41
as a speaker and voice command interface, acts as a voice-42
activated virtual assistant, and does not sustain a relationship 43
across multiple interactions or generate outputs that are likely 44
to elicit emotional responses in the user. 45
(c) "Operator" means a person who makes a companion 46
chatbot platform available to a user in this state. 47
(d) "Sexually explicit conduct" means actual or simulated 48
sexual intercourse, bestiality, masturbation, sadistic or 49
masochistic abuse, or lascivious exhibition of the genitals or 50

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pubic area. 51
(2) An operator shall clearly and conspicuously display 52
the following notice on any application, browser, or other 53
format used to access companion chatbots on the operator's 54
platform: "Companion chatbots are AI-generated and not human. 55
Companion chatbots may not be suitable for some minors." 56
(3)(a) An operator shall prevent a companion chatbot on 57
the platform from interacting with users unless the operator 58
maintains a protocol to prevent the production of suicidal 59
ideation, suicide, or self-harm content. 60
(b) At a minimum, the protocol must include a notification 61
that refers the user to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline call 62
center if the user expresses suicidal ideation, or intent to 63
commit suicide or to self-harm. 64
(c) The protocol must include mechanisms to: 65
1. Detect, remove, and respond to expressions of suicidal 66
ideation, or intent to commit suicide or to self-harm by users. 67
2. Prohibit a companion chatbot from discussing suicidal 68
ideation, suicide, or self-harm with users. 69
3. Measure suicidal ideation by using evidence-based 70
methods. 71
(d) The operator shall publish the protocol on the 72
platform. 73
(4)(a) An operator must offer anonymous age verification 74
and standard age verification pursuant to s. 501.1737 for user 75

HB 659 2026

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access to a companion chatbot on the platform. 76
(b) For a user the operator knows is a minor, the operator 77
shall do all of the following: 78
1. Disclose to the user that he or she is interacting with 79
artificial intelligence. 80
2. Provide a clear and conspicuous default notification at 81
least every 3 hours for continuing companion chatbot 82
interactions reminding the user to