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119-hr-10337119th CongressWALLET

16 & Up Social Media Act

Sponsored By: Representative Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

Introduced

Summary

Prohibits accounts for users under 16 on covered social platforms and forces platforms to remove those accounts, delete collected data, and run fast age‑verification appeals handled under Federal Trade Commission rules.

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  • Families and minors: Platforms may not let known users under 16 create or keep accounts. Platforms must identify such accounts within 60 days and notify them within 180 days, and must delete personal data when terminating accounts.
  • Platforms and user data: Platforms must provide a clear appeal process that decides within 5 days, limit evidence requests to age verification, and give terminated users a portable copy of their data on request when technically feasible.
  • Enforcement and states: Violations are treated as unfair or deceptive acts enforceable by the Federal Trade Commission. State attorneys general can bring civil actions with notice to the Commission, and states may seek injunctions, damages, restitution, and other relief while stronger state protections remain allowed.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Which platforms and features are covered

If enacted, the bill would define which online services count as 'covered platforms.' A platform would be covered only if it is publicly available, lets users create searchable usernames, mainly shares user‑generated content, uses a "design feature" to boost engagement, and uses personal data for ads or content recommendations. The bill would define "design feature" to include infinite scrolling, autoplay, rewards or incentives for time spent, notifications, badges, appearance‑altering filters, and personalized recommendation systems, and would define personalized recommendation and fully automated systems. It would also say that a platform's covered status must not be based on the content it hosts and that "knows" means "knows or should have known." These definitions would take effect one year after enactment.

Federal and State enforcement powers

If enacted, the bill would treat violations as unfair or deceptive acts under the Federal Trade Commission Act and let the FTC use its usual powers, penalties, and remedies to enforce the rules. State attorneys general and some state officials could also sue on behalf of residents for injunctions, damages, restitution, and other relief after giving notice to the FTC. The FTC may intervene in state suits, and a federal case by the FTC or U.S. Attorney General could limit state suits against the same defendant while the federal case is pending. These enforcement rules would take effect one year after enactment.

Limits on social accounts for kids

If enacted, the bill would ban covered platforms from letting anyone under 16 create or keep an account when the platform knows or should have known the person is under 16. Platforms would have 60 days after enactment to identify known under‑16 accounts, 180 days to notify those users, and 30 days after notice to terminate the account. When an account is terminated, platforms would immediately delete personal data as defined by COPPA. A terminated user could request a copy of their personal data for 90 days after termination, and the platform would have 45 days to deliver it in a readable, portable format if technically feasible and not blocked by a license. Platforms would also have to run a clear appeal process within 60 days after enactment that decides appeals within 5 days, limits evidence to what is strictly needed to verify age, and forbids retaining, selling, or using appeal data except to evaluate the appeal.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9]

IN • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Auchincloss, Jake [D-MA-4]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 9/10/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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