Kids Online Safety Act
Sponsored By: Senator Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
Introduced
Summary
Protecting minors online is the core aim of the Kids Online Safety Act, which would make platforms that serve young users adopt a legal duty of care, add parental controls and safeguards, and force more transparency about recommendation algorithms. The bill targets design features that boost minor engagement and limits certain research on children to reduce mental-health and harassment risks.
Show full summary
- Families and minors: The bill would define a "child" as under 13 and a "minor" as under 17, require verifiable parental consent for known children, and give parents tools to control privacy, purchases, and autoplay for streaming.
- Platforms and products: Covered services would face limits on personalized design features, a ban on market research involving children under 13, and public reporting and independent audits of safeguards, including detailed de-identified data on minor usage for platforms with over 10 million monthly U.S. users.
- Regulators, schools, and tech oversight: The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the rules with state attorneys general able to act as well, a Kids Online Safety Council of 11 members would advise and report within 1 and 3 years, and a separate title would force notice and opt-outs for "opaque" algorithms and let users switch to input-transparent systems.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Platform transparency and audits
If enacted, very large platforms (over 10,000,000 U.S. monthly users) would publish yearly, de-identified reports based on independent audits. Reports must show counts of known U.S. minors, time they spend, top languages, report totals, and evaluations of safeguards. One year after enactment, platforms using opaque, user-data driven algorithms would have to give notice, explain key inputs, and let users switch to an input-transparent option without higher prices. The FTC would issue guidance to help platforms and auditors comply.
Stronger parental controls for kids
If enacted, platforms used or likely used by minors would have to treat children (under 13) and minors (under 17) differently. Platforms that know a user is a child would need to notify a parent and get verifiable parental consent. Default settings for known minors would be the most protective options and parents would get tools to limit time, purchases, and data sharing. Platforms would also have to stop dark-patterns, ban certain drug and gambling ads to known minors, and require clear notices in the same language used by families.
FTC and state enforcement
If enacted, the FTC could enforce these rules as unfair or deceptive practices under the FTC Act. State attorneys general could also sue for some violations but must notify the FTC and give it a chance to intervene. The bill also clarifies that platforms may still cooperate with law enforcement and respond to security incidents while following Title I.
Timing, study, and council deadlines
If enacted, most Title I rules would start 18 months after the law is passed. The Commerce Secretary must study device- or OS-level age verification and report in one year. A Kids Online Safety Council of 11 members would be appointed within 180 days, give an interim report in 1 year after its first meeting and a final report in 3 years, and then end.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
SD • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Charles Schumer
NY • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
MT • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]
ND • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]
AK • R
Sponsored 6/23/2025
Dan Sullivan
AK • R
Sponsored 6/23/2025
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 7/8/2025
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]
OK • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Ossoff, Jon [D-GA]
GA • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
NH • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Curtis, John R. [R-UT]
UT • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 7/31/2025
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Markwayne Mullin
OK • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
LA • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Graham, Lindsey [R-SC]
SC • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
ID • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Bill Hagerty
TN • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Moreno, Bernie [R-OH]
OH • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]
MO • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
John Hoeven
ND • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]
AL • R
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
NV • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/16/2025
Sen. Husted, Jon [R-OH]
OH • R
Sponsored 10/16/2025
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 10/23/2025
Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE]
NE • R
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]
AR • R
Sponsored 12/2/2025
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 12/9/2025
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
CO • D
Sponsored 12/15/2025
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 12/15/2025
Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 1/8/2026
Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 1/28/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov