Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed HB5511, the Children's Social Media Safety Act, on July 31. The law targets social platforms: no algorithmic feeds for minors by default, no notifications between 10pm and 7am, no adult stranger contact. But it also creates duties for operating system providers and device makers, grouped as "covered manufacturers."

By January 1, 2028, these providers must build an age-declaration step and hand an age-bracket signal to any app that requests one. The signal is self-declared, not a scan or ID. Unlike Colorado and California, Illinois added no exemption for open source software, catching community-run projects.

Civil penalties in the bill are up to $7,500 per affected child for intentional violations. But the governor's press release advertises penalties of up to $50,000 per violation. Only the Illinois Attorney General can enforce. The EFF and NetChoice both opposed the bill, but it passed unanimously.