Safer GAMING Act
Congress Proposes New Rules Requiring Online Games to Block Stranger Chat for Minors by Default
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill requires online video game companies to provide safety tools for players under age 18. These tools would let parents limit who can talk to or message their children while they are playing games online.
- These safety settings must be turned on automatically for any account belonging to a minor. Only a parent or legal guardian would be allowed to turn them off, ensuring that kids cannot easily change the settings themselves.
- The law aims to protect children from being contacted by strangers or potentially dangerous adults. Companies are required to make these controls easy to find and simple for parents to use.
- If a company breaks these rules, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or state attorneys general can sue them or issue fines. This gives the government power to make sure gaming platforms are following the new safety standards.
- The rules would start one year after the bill becomes law. It also sets one national standard for the whole country, preventing different states from making their own conflicting rules about video game communication safety.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Small and independent game developers who make online multiplayer games would need to build parental control systems that are enabled by default for minors. This creates new compliance costs — designing, implementing, and maintaining these safeguards — which could be a significant burden for smaller studios compared to large companies like Microsoft or Sony that already have some parental controls in place.
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
4 articles
Kean introduces bill aimed at strengthening parental controls in online video games
U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. announced the Safer GAMING Act, which requires online video game providers to include safety tools for parents to protect children from harmful interactions. The bill mandates that creators offer tools to disable communication between minors and other users.
US House Subcommittee Advances 18 Child Online Safety Bills
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee advanced 18 bills, including the Safer GAMING Act. The bill requires that users under 16 cannot participate in chats unless they receive parental approval, aiming to disrupt the cycle of predators using shared interests in games to build trust.
New laws in 2026 aim to enhance kids' online safety
Legislators are moving quickly to create a protective shield for younger users in 2026. The surge in proposals, including mandates for age verification and design changes for gaming and social media, is driven by concerns over mental health and sexual exploitation.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Safer GAMING Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(2)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.