A new bill filed by State Rep. Neal Jackson in the North Carolina House seeks to strengthen privacy rights and promote safety on social media platforms for residents, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 462 on March 19 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Personal Data Privacy/Social Media Safety.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill, effective Jan. 1, 2026, enacts the Personal Data Privacy Act and the Social Media Safety Act, aiming to enhance privacy and safety for North Carolina residents. The Personal Data Privacy Act establishes rights for consumers to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of their personal data, and to opt out of certain data processing activities, including targeted advertising. It sets obligations for data controllers and processors, including data protection assessments for entities processing data of 100,000 or more consumers. Under the Social Media Safety Act, social media companies must verify the age of account holders and require parental consent for minors. Failure to comply may result in a misdemeanor and financial penalties. The Department of Justice is tasked with enforcement of potential violations.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Allen Chesser proposed the most bills (22) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Jackson, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 78th House district, replacing previous state representative Allen McNeill.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neal Jackson, Allen Chesser, Terry M. Brown Jr., and Tim Longest | HB 462 | 03/19/2025 | Personal Data Privacy/Social Media Safety. |
| Neal Jackson, Brian Echevarria, Jimmy Dixon, and Matthew Winslow | HB 432 | 03/18/2025 | Property Tax Relief Study. |
| Neal Jackson, Brian Biggs, Steve Tyson, and Wyatt Gable | HB 411 | 03/17/2025 | Reduce Early Voting Period for Primaries. |
| Neal Jackson, Jennifer Balkcom, Jonathan L. Almond, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 380 | 03/12/2025 | Conscientious Objections to Vaccine Mandates. |
| Neal Jackson, David Willis, Jeff Zenger, and Jonathan L. Almond | HB 301 | 03/05/2025 | Social Media Protections for Minors Under 16. |
| Neal Jackson, Bill Ward, Brian Biggs, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 261 | 03/03/2025 | Sent. Enhancement/Immigration-Related Crimes. |
| Neal Jackson, Brenden H. Jones, Brian Biggs, and Brian Echevarria | HB 244 | 02/27/2025 | Depoliticize Government Property Act. |
| Neal Jackson, Brian Biggs, Jennifer Balkcom, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 186 | 02/24/2025 | The Stars and Stripes Commitment Act. |
| Neal Jackson, Bill Ward, Donnie Loftis, and Keith Kidwell | HB 162 | 02/21/2025 | Local Gov’t Applicants/Criminal History Check. |
| Neal Jackson, Blair Eddins, Brenden H. Jones, and Jarrod Lowery | HB 171 | 02/21/2025 | Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI. |
| Neal Jackson, Jeff Zenger, Jennifer Balkcom, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 133 | 02/17/2025 | NC Farmland and Military Protection Act. |
| Neal Jackson and Jimmy Dixon | HB 126 | 02/13/2025 | Revise Voluntary Ag. District Laws. |
| Neal Jackson, Blair Eddins, Howard Penny, Jr., and Jimmy Dixon | HB 130 | 02/13/2025 | Agriculture Crops Disaster Relief. |
| Neal Jackson, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., John Sauls, and Paul Scott | HB 100 | 02/11/2025 | Expand Religious Property Tax Exemption. |
| Neal Jackson, Blair Eddins, Brian Biggs, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 87 | 02/10/2025 | Cell Phone-Free Education. |
| Neal Jackson, Jennifer Balkcom, Jimmy Dixon, and Karl E. Gillespie | HB 62 | 02/05/2025 | Farmers Protection Act. |
| Neal Jackson, Brian Biggs, Kyle Hall, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 31 | 02/03/2025 | Make Election Day A State Holiday. |
| Neal Jackson, Cody Huneycutt, Julia C. Howard, and Paul Scott | HB 37 | 02/03/2025 | Enhance Firefighter Benefits & Representation. |
