{
  "batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
  "articles": [
    {
      "id": "learn_r256_tennessee_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_ten_age_ver_statute_existence",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act (SB 1792 / HB 1614): Safety.legal statute",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee has an age-verification statute in force: the Protect Tennessee Minors Act (PTMA), enacted as Public Chapter 1021 of the 113th General Assembly, effective January 1, 2025.",
      "body": "Tennessee has an age-verification statute in force: the Protect Tennessee Minors Act (PTMA), enacted as Public Chapter 1021 of the 113th General Assembly, effective January 1, 2025.\n\nWhat Tennessee General Assembly actually says:\n\n“AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17 and Title 47, relative to the Protect Tennessee Minors Act.”\n\nNote: Statute exists and was signed by Governor 2024-05-31, effective 2025-01-01. Public Chapter 1021.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1792&ga=113",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-24",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly",
      "evidence_quote": "AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17 and Title 47, relative to the Protect Tennessee Minors Act.",
      "volatility": "medium",
      "from_batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act (SB 1792 / HB 1614)",
      "topic": "Safety.legal statute",
      "applies_to_country": "*",
      "applies_to_scope": "Applies to websites publishing/distributing in Tennessee",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-tn"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r256_tennessee_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_ten_age_ver_regulated_entity",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act: Safety.legal statute",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The statute binds \"an individual or commercial entity that publishes or distributes in this state a website that contains a substantial portion of material harmful to minors\" — meaning an individual creator selling their own content through someone else’s platform could fall inside if their own website meets the threshold.",
      "body": "The statute binds \"an individual or commercial entity that publishes or distributes in this state a website that contains a substantial portion of material harmful to minors\" — meaning an individual creator selling their own content through someone else’s platform could fall inside if their own website meets the threshold.\n\nWhat Tennessee General Assembly actually says:\n\n“This bill provides that an individual or commercial entity that publishes or distributes in this state a website that contains a substantial portion of material harmful to minors commits a Class C felony and is liable if they do not take the following action:”\n\nNote: An individual creator who operates their own website (e.g., a personal site) with 33 1/3%+ harmful-to-minors content would be directly regulated. A creator posting only on a platform (OnlyFans, Fansly, etc.) is not the website publisher — the platform is — so the duty falls on the platform, not the individual creator. The statute’s definition of regulated entity is the website publisher/distributor.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1792&ga=113",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-24",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly",
      "evidence_quote": "This bill provides that an individual or commercial entity that publishes or distributes in this state a website that contains a substantial portion of material harmful to minors commits a Class C felony and is liable if they do not take the following action:",
      "volatility": "medium",
      "from_batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act",
      "topic": "Safety.legal statute",
      "applies_to_country": "*",
      "applies_to_scope": "Applies to individuals and entities operating websites accessible in Tennessee",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-tn"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "safety.legal",
          "access.id"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r256_tennessee_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_ten_age_ver_threshold",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act: Safety.legal statute",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The threshold triggering the age-verification duty is 33 1/3 percent or more of the total content on the website being \"content harmful to minors.\"",
      "body": "The threshold triggering the age-verification duty is 33 1/3 percent or more of the total content on the website being \"content harmful to minors.\"\n\nWhat Tennessee General Assembly actually says:\n\n“(1) Changes the definition of \"substantial portion,\" as used in the bill, from 10 percent or more of the total amount of data available on a website to 33 1/3 percent or more of the total amount of data available on a website;”\n\nNote: Amendment #2 (adopted 2024-04-09) changed the threshold from 10% to 33 1/3%.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1792&ga=113",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-24",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly",
      "evidence_quote": "(1) Changes the definition of \"substantial portion,\" as used in the bill, from 10 percent or more of the total amount of data available on a website to 33 1/3 percent or more of the total amount of data available on a website;",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act",
      "topic": "Safety.legal statute",
      "applies_to_country": "*",
      "applies_to_scope": "Applies to websites accessible in Tennessee",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "choosing",
        "region": [
          "us-tn"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r256_tennessee_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_ten_age_ver_method",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act: Safety.legal statute",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The statute defines \"reasonable age-verification method\" as either (1) matching a live photo of the active user to the photo on a valid US state-issued ID, or (2) a commercially reasonable method relying on public or private transactional data to verify the user is 18 or older.",
      "body": "The statute defines \"reasonable age-verification method\" as either (1) matching a live photo of the active user to the photo on a valid US state-issued ID, or (2) a commercially reasonable method relying on public or private transactional data to verify the user is 18 or older.\n\nWhat Tennessee General Assembly actually says:\n\n“A \"reasonable age-verification method\" under this bill means the following means of establishing the age of the person attempting to view content harmful to minors, implemented in a manner not easily bypassed: (1) The matching of a photograph of the active user taken between the attempt to view and the viewing of content harmful to minors, using the device by which the attempt to view content harmful to minors is being made, to the photograph on a valid form of identification issued by a state of the United States; or (2) A commercially reasonable method relying on public or private transactional data to verify that the age of the person attempting to access the information is at least 18 or older.”\n\nNote: Both methods must be implemented in a manner not easily bypassed.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1792&ga=113",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-24",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly",
      "evidence_quote": "A \"reasonable age-verification method\" under this bill means the following means of establishing the age of the person attempting to view content harmful to minors, implemented in a manner not easily bypassed: (1) The matching of a photograph of the active user taken between the attempt to view and the viewing of content harmful to minors, using the device by which the attempt to view content harmful to minors is being made, to the photograph on a valid form of identification issued by a state of the United States; or (2) A commercially reasonable method relying on public or private transactional data to verify that the age of the person attempting to access the information is at least 18 or older.",
      "volatility": "medium",
      "from_batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act",
      "topic": "Safety.legal statute",
      "applies_to_country": "*",
      "applies_to_scope": "Applies to websites subject to the Act",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "setting_up",
        "region": [
          "us-tn"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "access.id",
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r256_tennessee_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_ten_age_ver_data_retention",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act: Safety.legal statute",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] The statute requires retaining at least seven years of historical anonymized age-verification data and prohibits retaining any personally identifying information after access is granted; violation is a Class C felony.",
      "body": "The statute requires retaining at least seven years of historical anonymized age-verification data and prohibits retaining any personally identifying information after access is granted; violation is a Class C felony.\n\nWhat Tennessee General Assembly actually says:\n\n“This bill provides that a website owner, commercial entity, or third party that executes a required age-verification method commits a Class C felony if they do not retain at least seven years of historical anonymized age-verification data; and retain any personally identifying information of the active user after access to the content that was harmful to minors was granted.”\n\nNote: Anonymized data must include architectural diagrams and volume data. Knowing retention of PII gives rise to private right of action for damages.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1792&ga=113",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-24",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly",
      "evidence_quote": "This bill provides that a website owner, commercial entity, or third party that executes a required age-verification method commits a Class C felony if they do not retain at least seven years of historical anonymized age-verification data; and retain any personally identifying information of the active user after access to the content that was harmful to minors was granted.",
      "volatility": "medium",
      "from_batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act",
      "topic": "Safety.legal statute",
      "applies_to_country": "*",
      "applies_to_scope": "Applies to website owners, commercial entities, or third parties executing age verification",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "running",
        "region": [
          "us-tn"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "safety.legal",
          "safety.privacy"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "learn_r256_tennessee_age_verification_as_it_lands_on_a_creator_ten_age_ver_enforcement",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act: Safety.legal statute",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Enforcement is through the Attorney General (state action) and a private right of action for individuals; penalty is a Class C felony (3–15 years imprisonment, fine up to $10,000).",
      "body": "Enforcement is through the Attorney General (state action) and a private right of action for individuals; penalty is a Class C felony (3–15 years imprisonment, fine up to $10,000).\n\nWhat Tennessee General Assembly actually says:\n\n“(2) Changes the entity responsible for enforcement of the bill from the department of safety to the attorney general, who is authorized to bring any appropriate action or proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction against a commercial entity that fails to comply with the bill; and (3) Changes the effective date to January 1, 2025.”\n\nNote: Amendment #2 moved enforcement to the AG. Private right of action is also provided in the bill summary: \"an individual or commercial entity that is found to have violated the above provision is liable to an individual for damages... including court costs and reasonable attorney fees.\"",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB1792&ga=113",
      "last_verified": "2026-09-24",
      "reliability": "STRONG PRACTICE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly",
      "evidence_quote": "(2) Changes the entity responsible for enforcement of the bill from the department of safety to the attorney general, who is authorized to bring any appropriate action or proceeding in a court of competent jurisdiction against a commercial entity that fails to comply with the bill; and (3) Changes the effective date to January 1, 2025.",
      "volatility": "medium",
      "from_batch": "256-tennessee-age-verification-as-it-lands-on-a-creator",
      "subject": "Tennessee Protect Tennessee Minors Act",
      "topic": "Safety.legal statute",
      "applies_to_country": "*",
      "applies_to_scope": "Applies in Tennessee",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "trouble",
        "region": [
          "us-tn"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "safety.legal",
          "rules.enforcement"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}