Kids Online Safety Act
Latest action (27 Jul 2022): Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
What this bill does
The Kids Online Safety Act would establish new legal requirements for online platforms likely to be used by minors (individuals age 16 or younger). It would create a "duty of care" requiring covered platforms to act in minors' best interests and to prevent or mitigate specific harms, such as promotion of self-harm or eating disorders, addictive design features, online bullying, sexual exploitation, and marketing of age-restricted products. Platforms would be required to offer default safety settings, parental supervision tools, mechanisms to report harm, and clearer disclosures about data use, advertising, and algorithmic recommendation systems. The bill also directs annual public risk-audit reporting, creates a research-access program for vetted independent researchers studying harms to minors, and establishes a Kids Online Safety Council.
The bill primarily affects operators of websites, apps, and online services used by minors, as well as parents and minors themselves, who would gain new tools and rights regarding privacy, safety settings, and content exposure. Researchers and regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Commerce, would also have defined roles in oversight, data access, and enforcement.
Introduced in the Senate on February 16, 2022, by Senator Blumenthal with bipartisan cosponsors, the bill was referred to the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. On July 27, 2022, the committee ordered it reported favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; it was later formally reported on December 15, 2022. The bill did not receive a full Senate vote before the end of the 117th Congress and would need to be reintroduced in a subsequent Congress to advance further.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Kids Online Safety Act
This bill sets out requirements for covered platforms (i.e., social networks, video streaming services, or other applications that connect to the internet and are likely to be used by minors) to protect minors from online harm, including requirements relating to (1) safeguards to restrict access to the personal data of minors, (2) tools to help parents supervise a minor's use of a platform, and (3) reporting of harm to minors from using the platform.
Timeline
27 Jul 2022
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Common questions
- What does S. 3663 do?
- The Kids Online Safety Act would establish new legal requirements for online platforms likely to be used by minors (individuals age 16 or younger). It would create a "duty of care" requiring covered platforms to act in minors' best interests and to prevent or mitigate specific harms, such as promotion of self-harm or eating disorders, addictive design features, online bullying, sexual exploitation, and marketing of age-restricted products. Platforms would be required to offer default safety settings, parental supervision tools, mechanisms to report harm, and clearer disclosures about data use, advertising, and algorithmic recommendation systems. The bill also directs annual public risk-audit reporting, creates a research-access program for vetted independent researchers studying harms to minors, and establishes a Kids Online Safety Council. The bill primarily affects operators of websites, apps, and online services used by minors, as well as parents and minors themselves, who would gain new tools and rights regarding privacy, safety settings, and content exposure. Researchers and regulators, including the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Commerce, would also have defined roles in oversight, data access, and enforcement. Introduced in the Senate on February 16, 2022, by Senator Blumenthal with bipartisan cosponsors, the bill was referred to the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. On July 27, 2022, the committee ordered it reported favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute; it was later formally reported on December 15, 2022. The bill did not receive a full Senate vote before the end of the 117th Congress and would need to be reintroduced in a subsequent Congress to advance further.
- Has S. 3663 become law?
- Not yet. As of 27 Jul 2022, S. 3663 is ordered reported.
- Who sponsored S. 3663?
- S. 3663 was sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal [D-CT] (Democrat-CT), with 13 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 3663?
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. (27 Jul 2022).
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