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Congress·In Committee·3 months ago

Congress Proposes New Rules Requiring Online Games to Block Stranger Chat for Minors by Default

Also known as: Safer GAMING Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

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.
Technology DigitalCivil Rights

Milestones

3 milestones5 actions
Dec 11, 2025House

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Dec 11, 2025House

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Nov 21, 2025House

Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade.

Nov 21, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Nov 21, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

4 articles
WRNJ Radio·3 months ago

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.

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Tech Policy Press·3 months ago

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.

C=
Fast Company·about 1 month ago

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.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Safer GAMING Act

Bill NumberHR 6265
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionForwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(2)
D: 1R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.