U.S. House Passes Child Online Safety Bill, Setting Up Senate Showdown
The United States House of Representatives has approved new legislation aimed at strengthening online protections for children, paving the way for negotiations with the Senate, where lawmakers have backed stricter measures.
The Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act was passed on Monday by a bipartisan vote of 267–117, reflecting growing concern among U.S. lawmakers over the impact of social media and digital platforms on young users.
The proposed legislation would require online platforms to provide tools that allow children to limit access to addictive features and implement policies designed to protect minors from online harms, including sexual exploitation.
The House action comes as Congress intensifies efforts to improve child safety in the digital space amid increasing scrutiny of major social media companies over their impact on children's mental health and online well-being.
The measure marks the House's first major child online safety legislation since the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Kids Online Safety Act in 2024 by a vote of 91–3.
Unlike the House bill, the Senate legislation would impose a broader "duty of care" on social media companies, requiring them to take stronger responsibility for protecting young users from harmful online content and practices.
Meanwhile, Marsha Blackburn has been working with the White House to build support for a legislative package that includes the Senate's online child safety proposal.
The differing approaches adopted by the two chambers are expected to be reconciled before any final legislation can be sent to the President for approval.
-Overseeeronline.com
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