Skip to content
Congress·In Committee·10 months ago

Senate Panel Eyes Kids Online Safety Act to Shield Minors From Addictive App Features

Also known as: Kids Online Safety Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impacts

Mixed Impacts(3)
Mental Health
Neutral
Disability Benefits
Neutral
Chronic Illness
Neutral
Positive Impacts(1)
Child Tax Credit
Helps

Key Points

  • Internet platforms likely used by minors would have a new “duty of care” to avoid features that contribute to harms like compulsive use, severe harassment, sexual exploitation, or illegal-drug and gambling activity.
  • For users the platform knows are under 17, platforms must offer easy safety controls: limit messages from others, lock down public access to a minor’s personal data, reduce “addictive” features by default, and let minors opt out of personalized recommendations.
  • Parents would get built-in tools (on by default for kids under 13) to view or change settings, restrict purchases, and see and limit total time spent. Platforms also must add a simple way to report harms and respond within set timelines.
  • Large platforms would have to publish yearly, third-party-audited reports about how many minors use them, how long minors spend there, how reports are handled, and how recommendations and data use affect minors—while sharing data in a de-identified, aggregated way.
  • Platforms that use algorithm-based feeds would have to let users switch to an “unpersonalized” option and explain what the feed is optimizing; they also can’t charge more or restrict service for choosing the unpersonalized feed.
Consumer ProtectionData PrivacyTechnologyArtificial Intelligence

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
May 14, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2929-2930)

May 14, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

1 year after the law is enacted

Platforms must follow the “filter bubble transparency” rule (switch to a less-tracked feed option + algorithm notices).

Users could choose a feed that relies less on hidden tracking/inferences, and see clearer info about how ranking works.

No later than 1 year after the law is enacted

Commerce Department, working with the FCC and FTC, must deliver an age-verification study report to Congress.

Congress and the public could see recommendations (and tradeoffs) for device-level age checks, including privacy and accessibility concerns.

18 months after the law is enacted

Most of the kids online safety requirements take effect for covered platforms (duty of care, safeguards, parental tools, reporting, ad limits, disclosures, and transparency duties where applicable).

Minors and parents should start seeing safer default settings, easier controls, and clearer notices—plus a way to report harms and get timely responses.

No later than 18 months after the law is enacted

The FTC issues guidance explaining how platforms and auditors should follow the rules (including what counts as risky design features and best practices).

Platforms may adjust products again to match the FTC’s examples, which could change app features parents and teens see.

No later than 18 months after the law is enacted

The FTC issues guidance on when a platform “should have known” a user is a minor based on the circumstances.

Platforms may change how they detect likely minors (without necessarily doing formal age checks), which could affect account settings and content recommendations.

Appointments due within 180 days after the law is enacted; meetings follow

Kids Online Safety Council members are appointed and the Council begins meeting.

Parents, youth reps, educators, platforms, game companies, and state enforcers begin shaping recommendations that could influence future rules or new laws.

1 year after the Council’s first meeting

Kids Online Safety Council submits an interim report to Congress.

Congress may use early findings to push additional changes on online safety (or oversight of platforms).

3 years after the Council’s first meeting; ends within 30 days after

Kids Online Safety Council submits a final report and then ends shortly after.

A final set of recommendations could drive new legislation or enforcement priorities, but the Council itself would shut down.

Related News

2 articles
PBS NewsHour·over 1 year ago

Bill aimed at protecting children online sparks debate over censorship and privacy

KOSA establishes a legal 'duty of care' for platforms to mitigate harm. It allows kids to opt out of personalized recommendations and limits direct communication from strangers. Critics argue the broad definitions could lead to over-censorship of content like sexual health resources.

C~
Axios·about 1 year ago

Senators release updated KOSA text

Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn released updated KOSA text to address House concerns. The changes clarify that the bill regulates platform design features—like addictive algorithms—rather than speech, aiming to protect the bill from First Amendment legal challenges.

C=

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Kids Online Safety Act

Bill NumberS 1748
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S2929-2930)

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(75)
D: 33R: 41I: 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.