S1748119th CongressWALLET

Kids Online Safety Act

Sponsored By: Senator Marsha Blackburn

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.

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

Marsha Blackburn

TN • R

Cosponsors

  • Richard Blumenthal

    CT • D

    Sponsored 5/14/2025

  • John Thune

    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

  • Mark Kelly

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Maggie Hassan

    NH • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Martin Heinrich

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Brian Schatz

    HI • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Roger Marshall

    KS • R

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Mike Crapo

    ID • R

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Ashley Moody

    FL • R

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Steve Daines

    MT • R

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Kevin Cramer

    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

  • John Cornyn

    TX • R

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Angela Alsobrooks

    MD • D

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Pete Ricketts

    NE • R

    Sponsored 6/11/2025

  • Lisa Murkowski

    AK • R

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Dan Sullivan

    AK • R

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Chuck Grassley

    IA • R

    Sponsored 7/8/2025

  • Susan Collins

    ME • R

    Sponsored 7/16/2025

  • Peter Welch

    VT • D

    Sponsored 7/16/2025

  • James Lankford

    OK • R

    Sponsored 7/16/2025

  • Todd Young

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/16/2025

  • Joni Ernst

    IA • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Jon Ossoff

    GA • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Richard Durbin

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Katie Britt

    AL • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Gary Peters

    MI • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Jeanne Shaheen

    NH • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Sheldon Whitehouse

    RI • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Jim Banks

    IN • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Christopher Murphy

    CT • D

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Thomas Tillis

    NC • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • John Kennedy

    LA • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • John Curtis

    UT • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Roger Wicker

    MS • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Rick Scott

    FL • R

    Sponsored 7/31/2025

  • Timothy Kaine

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/18/2025

  • John Reed

    RI • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Markwayne Mullin

    OK • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Cynthia Lummis

    WY • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Bill Cassidy

    LA • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Lindsey Graham

    SC • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Jerry Moran

    KS • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • James Risch

    ID • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • John Fetterman

    PA • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Christopher Coons

    DE • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Bill Hagerty

    TN • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Angus King

    ME • I

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Mazie Hirono

    HI • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Bernie Moreno

    OH • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Mark Warner

    VA • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Josh Hawley

    MO • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • John Hoeven

    ND • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Tommy Tuberville

    AL • R

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Catherine Cortez Masto

    NV • D

    Sponsored 10/9/2025

  • Tammy Duckworth

    IL • D

    Sponsored 10/16/2025

  • Jon Husted

    OH • R

    Sponsored 10/16/2025

  • Chris Van Hollen

    MD • D

    Sponsored 10/23/2025

  • Andy Kim

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 10/23/2025

  • Adam Schiff

    CA • D

    Sponsored 10/28/2025

  • Elissa Slotkin

    MI • D

    Sponsored 11/10/2025

  • Deb Fischer

    NE • R

    Sponsored 11/10/2025

  • Ruben Gallego

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 12/1/2025

  • Tom Cotton

    AR • R

    Sponsored 12/2/2025

  • Elizabeth Warren

    MA • D

    Sponsored 12/9/2025

  • Michael Bennet

    CO • D

    Sponsored 12/15/2025

  • John Boozman

    AR • R

    Sponsored 12/15/2025

  • Lisa Blunt Rochester

    DE • D

    Sponsored 1/8/2026

  • John Barrasso

    WY • R

    Sponsored 1/28/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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