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In Effect Law Child Protection High Relevance

MD AADC

Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (Commercial Law § 14-4601 et seq.)

Maryland design code modeled on UK approach: applies to covered online products reasonably likely to be accessed by minors. Pushes privacy-by-default, risk assessment, limits on "materially detrimental" data practices.

Jurisdiction

Maryland

US-MD

Enacted

Unknown

Effective

Oct 1, 2024

Enforcement

Maryland Attorney General

Who Must Comply

This law applies to:

  • • Operators of covered online products reasonably likely to be accessed by minors (under 18) in Maryland

Who bears obligations:

Operator

Safety Provisions

  • • Must consider minors' best interests in design and operation
  • • DPIA-style obligations for covered online products
  • • Restrictions on processing data in ways materially detrimental to minors' physical/mental health or wellbeing
  • • High privacy defaults; limits on collecting/using/sharing beyond necessity
  • • Limits on dark patterns / manipulative design

Compliance Timeline

Oct 1, 2024

All provisions took effect

Enforcement

Enforced by

Maryland Attorney General

Penalties

$8K/violation

Per violation: $7,500

Up to $2,500/child (negligent); up to $7,500/child (intentional).

Quick Facts

Binding
Yes
Mental Health Focus
Yes
Child Safety Focus
Yes
Algorithmic Scope
Yes

Why It Matters

First US AADC to survive initial legal challenge. NetChoice lawsuit motion to dismiss denied Nov 24, 2025; law remains in effect.

Recent Developments

NetChoice filed First Amendment challenge (Feb 2025). Motion to dismiss denied Nov 2025. Outcome will shape viability of other state AADCs.

What You Need to Comply

You need: minors risk assessment / DPIA workflow, high-privacy defaults, proof that design choices are not "materially detrimental" to minors' wellbeing.

NOPE can help

Cite This

APA

Maryland. (2024). Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (Commercial Law § 14-4601 et seq.). Retrieved from https://nope.net/regs/us-md-aadc

BibTeX

@misc{us_md_aadc,
  title = {Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (Commercial Law § 14-4601 et seq.)},
  author = {Maryland},
  year = {2024},
  url = {https://nope.net/regs/us-md-aadc}
}

Related Regulations

Enacted US-VT • Child Protection

VT AADC

Vermont design code structured to be more litigation-resistant: focuses on data processing harms rather than content-based restrictions. AG rulemaking authority begins July 2025.

In Effect US-CA • Child Protection

CA AB 489

Prohibits AI systems from using terms, letters, or phrases that falsely indicate or imply possession of a healthcare professional license.

In Effect US-NE • Child Protection

NE AADC

Nebraska design code blending privacy-by-design with engagement constraints (feeds, notifications, time limits) aimed at reducing compulsive use.

Enacted US-NY • AI Safety

NY RAISE Act

Requires large AI developers of frontier models operating in New York to create safety protocols, report critical incidents within 72 hours, conduct annual reviews, and undergo independent audits. Creates dedicated DFS office funded by developer fees.

Enacted US-CA • AI Safety

CA SB 942

Requires large GenAI providers (1M+ monthly users) to provide free AI detection tools, embed latent disclosures (watermarks/metadata) in AI-generated content, and offer optional manifest (visible) disclosures to users.

Enacted US-CT • AI Safety

CT SB 1295

Creates COMPLETE BAN on targeted advertising to under-18s regardless of consent. Requires AI impact assessments. Connecticut issued first CTDPA fine ($85,000) in 2025.

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