Congress Revives Efforts to Strengthen Online Protections for Children and Teens
Charlie Germano, Counsel, Senior Technologist, BBB National Programs
Congress is once again signaling that youth online safety and privacy remain a bipartisan priority.
This week, leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released an updated bipartisan package of children's online safety legislation they are calling the KIDS Act, including two of the most closely watched proposals: the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) (last on the move in 2024) and COPPA 2.0 (discussed at length last year). The package could move quickly through committee as lawmakers seek to advance the legislation on suspension.
While questions remain about how the House and Senate will reconcile differing approaches to children's online safety, the updated legislative package includes several proposals aimed at strengthening protections for children and teens online.
Among other changes, the bill would:
The package also includes several other youth-focused measures, including:
The legislation also calls for additional research, studies, and public awareness efforts related to online safety.
While the specific provisions of these bills will continue to evolve, policymakers are clearly moving beyond traditional discussions of children's advertising and privacy to focus on the full digital experience of children and teens.
Issues such as age assurance, platform design, parental controls, online safety, algorithmic experiences, gaming environments, and AI-powered interactions are becoming central to the regulatory conversation.
Regardless of whether this package becomes law in its current form, organizations should view these proposals as a roadmap for future expectations.
For more than 50 years, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of BBB National Programs has worked with companies to promote responsible advertising, privacy, and digital engagement practices for children and teens. As the policy landscape continues to develop, CARU remains committed to helping businesses navigate emerging requirements and build safer, more age-appropriate digital experiences.
Congress is once again signaling that youth online safety and privacy remain a bipartisan priority.
This week, leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released an updated bipartisan package of children's online safety legislation they are calling the KIDS Act, including two of the most closely watched proposals: the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) (last on the move in 2024) and COPPA 2.0 (discussed at length last year). The package could move quickly through committee as lawmakers seek to advance the legislation on suspension.
While questions remain about how the House and Senate will reconcile differing approaches to children's online safety, the updated legislative package includes several proposals aimed at strengthening protections for children and teens online.
- The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) would require covered platforms to take reasonable measures to prevent and mitigate harms to minors, including physical, sexual, and financial harms.
- The legislation also focuses on platform design and safety features, requiring tools that help young users protect sensitive information, limit certain engagement features, and provide parents with greater visibility and control.
- The bill would also require independent third-party audits to evaluate compliance and the effectiveness of platform safety measures similar to services we currently provide for the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and South Carolina’s Age Appropriate Design Code.
- The proposed updates to the COPPA would significantly expand privacy protections for young users.
Among other changes, the bill would:
- Require parental consent for data collection from children under age 14;
- Require affirmative consent from teens under age 18;
- Expand obligations related to youth data collection and use; and
- Extend COPPA Safe Harbor programs to address the law's updated requirements.
The package also includes several other youth-focused measures, including:
- The SCREEN Act, which would require age verification for online pornography;
- The SPY Kids Act, which would prohibit market research activities involving minors;
- The Safer GAMING Act, focused on parental controls and protections within video games;
- The SAFE Bots Act, addressing the safety of AI chatbot interactions with young users; and
- New registration requirements for data brokers collecting information about minors.
The legislation also calls for additional research, studies, and public awareness efforts related to online safety.
While the specific provisions of these bills will continue to evolve, policymakers are clearly moving beyond traditional discussions of children's advertising and privacy to focus on the full digital experience of children and teens.
Issues such as age assurance, platform design, parental controls, online safety, algorithmic experiences, gaming environments, and AI-powered interactions are becoming central to the regulatory conversation.
Regardless of whether this package becomes law in its current form, organizations should view these proposals as a roadmap for future expectations.
For more than 50 years, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of BBB National Programs has worked with companies to promote responsible advertising, privacy, and digital engagement practices for children and teens. As the policy landscape continues to develop, CARU remains committed to helping businesses navigate emerging requirements and build safer, more age-appropriate digital experiences.