House passes bill to protect kids online, but Senate wants tougher rules
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives easily approved bipartisan legislation aimed at protecting kids online, a significant step in a yearslong journey to rein in social media companies’ interactions with children.
The Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS) was passed on Monday by a wide margin: 267-117.
Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Kentucky, the chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, referred to the legislation as “the most comprehensive, impactful children’s online safety package Congress has considered.”
“At its core, this legislation sends a simple message: Children deserve a safer online experience,” he said. “Technology companies must be held accountable when they fail to protect young users.”
Congress’ efforts to finalize the package could become one of the defining debates on Capitol Hill ahead of the midterm elections.
Though there’s bipartisan momentum, it won’t be smooth sailing from here: The legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where critical lawmakers have said the measures don’t go as far as another bill that passed nearly unanimously in 2024.
Supporters of the House-passed legislation said it would give parents stronger tools to monitor and manage their children’s online experiences, establish safeguards for AI chatbots and ban advertising targeted to minors. It would also limit the unnecessary collection of children’s data and implement age verification measures for sexually explicit content like pornography.
It does not, however, include a so-called “duty of care” provision that was included in the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, which previously passed the Senate. Supporters said the “duty of care” measure would’ve regulated online design features to protect children from harmful elements of technology platforms. But some civil liberties advocates have warned it could also result in censorship of free speech.
Still, some Senate Democrats, including Maria Cantwell of Washington state, have called that aspect of the package “essential.”
“The bottom line is that this package has gutted many of the key provisions in the Senate bill necessary to protect kids and their families,” she said in a statement last week. “And it is grouped with another set of bills that also fall short of showing what strong safety measures are needed for kids, and instead inserts many studies at a time when our government needs to do more than just study this problem.”
Many House Democrats - including Frank Pallone of New Jersey, Jennifer McClellan of Virginia and Lori Trahan of Massachusetts - acknowledged the legislation isn’t perfect. In floor speeches on June 29, they all referenced criticisms of the latest bill, but said Congress needs to act sooner rather than later.
“This bill doesn’t solve every problem,” Trahan said. “But it makes one heck of a dent.”
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has thrown his support behind the new version of KOSA, the stricter bill, which he’s said he’ll move forward. It’ll be up to the Senate to reconcile the competing bills on different tracks, said Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Florida.
“The ball is going to be in their court now,” she said.
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 8:09 PM.