Lawmakers say the KIDS Act will protect children from social media and AI chatbots. But many experts argue the bill is missing its strongest enforcement tool.
Parents worry about online dangers. The bill may give them new controls, but critics warn it could also collect sensitive information from all users.
The KIDS Act sets rules for online platforms that serve minors.
Jean Twenge, author of "10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World," supports age verification. She says "kids today face a digital world that is designed for profit, not safety or true connection."
The original version of the bill included a "duty of care" provision. That provision would have forced platforms to detect and reduce threats like financial abuse, as well as overhaul designs associated with psychological harm.
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Candice Odgers, a University of California professor who studies psychology and informatics, says "It's the piece that gives the real teeth to the legislation." The House removed it before the vote. According to critics, including Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn, removing this duty means that tech firms can keep running their platforms without major changes.
Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn said in a statement: "Instead of passing a federal standard that will protect America's children from Big Tech's greed, the House of Representatives just passed legislation that is a pale imitation of Big Tech accountability."
Jessica Ji, a senior research analyst at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology, notes that the legislation prioritizes limiting minors' access over addressing online predators. "If we're trying to address child safety, we also need to look at other things, like how adults are interacting with children online," she says.
Another concern: age verification systems require collecting personal data. Odgers warns that companies "may end up collecting sensitive information from all users" and not always be able to protect it. Ji also notes that "every guardrail will eventually be bypassed by a determined or clever enough user."
Next, the bill moves to the Senate, but its fate there remains unclear. Some senators have already criticized the House version as too weak.
Until new laws pass, experts say parents should take action on their own. Odgers advises having open conversations: "I would have a conversation with them that makes it clear that if they see something frightening online, something that makes them uncomfortable, something that's weird, that they can talk to you about it."
For younger children, Odgers advises enabling parental controls - such as screen-time limits and content filters - on services like YouTube. Twenge goes further: "Postpone getting their kids any type of phone as long as possible, and when they do, get them a basic phone designed for children such as Gabb, Troomi, Bark, or Pinwheel with no social media."
These steps might feel small, but experts say they are the most reliable defense right now.
The Senate will decide whether to pass the KIDS Act, amend it, or let it die.
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