People-First Chatbot Act
Sponsored By: Representative Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create statutory rules that require privacy, safety-by-design, and transparency for AI chatbots. It focuses on how chatbots collect and use user inputs, limits training on chat logs, and forces clear real-time notices to users.
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- Users and families would get guaranteed access to and portability of their chat logs and could request deletion. Providers would be barred from keeping chat logs longer than five years and could not sell them.
- Minors would get extra protections: providers must run monthly risk assessments, make quarterly public disclosures about risks like emotional dependence or compulsive usage, and disable features that pose unreasonable risks to children.
- Providers would face new obligations and liability. The Federal Trade Commission would write implementing rules and enforce them, states and private users could sue, and civil damages include up to $10,000 per violation and at least $250,000 for covered harms.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Private lawsuits and large damages
If enacted, injured people would be able to sue chatbot providers for actual damages and statutory awards. Some violations would allow up to $10,000 per violation. Certain violations would carry statutory minimums of at least $50,000, $100,000 for emotional dependence harms, and $250,000 for covered harms like suicide attempts. Courts could increase awards up to five times for willful violations. Suits would need to start within two years after discovery, and prevailing plaintiffs could get costs and attorney fees. You could sue even if the provider used reasonable care or had no contract with you.
Clear AI disclosures and child safety
If enacted, AI chatbots would have to tell users they are not human before replying, at least once per hour, and when asked. Businesses using chatbots for customer service would have to disclose nonhuman handling and transfer users to a U.S.-based human operator if requested, including by a voice command like "agent" if feasible. Chatbots could not imply their answers are confidential or come from licensed professionals like doctors, lawyers, accountants, or certified financial planners. Providers would have to run monthly safety assessments for self-harm and addictive use, publish quarterly reports, and disable features that pose unreasonable risks to users under 18.
Stronger privacy, data, and security
If enacted, chatbot companies could not sell your chat log and generally could not keep logs longer than five years unless required by law. You would be able to download your chat logs in a portable, human- and machine-readable format and request deletion. Providers would need affirmative consent before using chats for training, and they could not train on chats of users known or reasonably believed to be under 18. Providers would have 12 months to adopt a written data security program and post a summary. The bill would also define key terms like affirmative consent and de-identified data, and the government could not compel chat logs without a court warrant.
Federal rulemaking and state enforcement
If enacted, violations would count as unfair or deceptive acts under the Federal Trade Commission Act and the FTC could use its usual enforcement powers. The FTC would have 12 months to write rules and templates for disclosures, risk metrics, and safety limits for chatbots. State attorneys general could also sue on behalf of residents, but states must notify the FTC and the FTC could intervene.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 7/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov