Duty LXD-4358
Deploys a companion chatbot, in Washington
Each law's tag says when it binds: in force in force from , in 7 weeks not yet in force
Privacy Act, Recording and Interception of Private Communicationsin force2 lines
RCW 9.73.030, .060, .070, .080 · Read the law's page
- Obtain the consent of every participant to a private telephone, radio, or other transmitted communication, and every person engaged in a private conversation, before recording or intercepting it by any device; consent is established when one party announces to all the others, in a reasonably effective manner, that the recording or transmission is about to happen, provided the announcement is itself recorded.
- Do not read or answer a private message sent to someone else, on the device it was sent to, before that person has seen it, without the consent this chapter requires; the Washington Supreme Court has held that doing so is an interception even though the message has already arrived.
AI companion chatbot disclosure and safety actfrom , in 7 weeks4 lines
1st Sub. H.B. 2225, ch. 168, Laws of 2026 (new chapter, Title 19 RCW) · Read the law's page
- If you operate an AI companion chatbot, disclose clearly and conspicuously that it is artificial and not human at the start of an interaction, at least every three hours during continued interaction, and at the start of every new session.
- If you know the user is a minor, disclose proactively, take reasonable measures to prevent the chatbot from generating sexually explicit content or suggestive dialogue with them, and do not use manipulative engagement techniques designed to prolong an emotional attachment.
- Maintain protocols to detect and respond to expressions of self-harm or suicidal ideation, including referral to crisis resources, and publicly report on those protocols annually.
- A violation is treated as an unfair or deceptive act under the Consumer Protection Act rather than punished under a separate penalty scheme.