What does Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act do?

H.R. 7757, known as the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), represents a comprehensive federal effort to protect minors from online harms while empowering parents with tools to manage their children's digital experiences. The legislation addresses multiple dimensions of child safety in the digital environment, including social media platforms, artificial intelligence chatbots, direct messaging features, and the advertising of harmful products to minors. The bill establishes a regulatory framework that requires covered platforms to implement default protective settings for minors, provide robust parental controls, and undergo regular independent audits to ensure compliance. Beyond platform regulation, the Act mandates extensive research initiatives through the National Institute of Mental Health and other federal agencies to better understand the mental health impacts of social media and emerging technologies on children and adolescents. The legislation also creates a public-private partnership to develop educational resources for parents, educators, and families, while establishing technology verification measures to determine user age without compromising privacy. The Act's scope extends to prohibiting the advertising of narcotic drugs, cannabis, tobacco, gambling, and alcohol to minors, and specifically addresses the emerging threat of fentanyl access through social media platforms.

What does Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act do?

H.R. 7757, known as the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), represents a comprehensive federal effort to protect minors from online harms while empowering parents with tools to manage their children's digital experiences. The legislation addresses multiple dimensions of child safety in the digital environment, including social media platforms, artificial intelligence chatbots, direct messaging features, and the advertising of harmful products to minors. The bill establishes a regulatory framework that requires covered platforms to implement default protective settings for minors, provide robust parental controls, and undergo regular independent audits to ensure compliance. Beyond platform regulation, the Act mandates extensive research initiatives through the National Institute of Mental Health and other federal agencies to better understand the mental health impacts of social media and emerging technologies on children and adolescents. The legislation also creates a public-private partnership to develop educational resources for parents, educators, and families, while establishing technology verification measures to determine user age without compromising privacy. The Act's scope extends to prohibiting the advertising of narcotic drugs, cannabis, tobacco, gambling, and alcohol to minors, and specifically addresses the emerging threat of fentanyl access through social media platforms.

HR7757 U.S. House: Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act

Engrossed

H. R. 7757

March 3, 2026

Mr. Guthrie introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To protect children and teens online, empower parents and strengthen families, and for other purposes.

1. Short title; table of contents; 2. Definitions; TITLE I—SHIELDING MINORS FROM OBSCENITY; 101. Short title; 102. Definitions; 103. Technology verification measures; 104. Consultation requirements; 105. GAO report; 106. Relationship to State laws; TITLE II—ADDRESSING HARMS TO MINORS ON ONLINE PLATFORMS; 201. Covered platform defined; 211. Short title; 212. Definitions; 213. Addressing harms to minors; 214. Safeguards for minors and parental tools; 215. Reporting mechanism; 216. Disclosure; 217. Advertising and marketing information and labels; 218. Advertising of illegal products; 219. Audit; report; 220. Rules of construction; 221. Relationship to State laws; 231. Short title; 232. Definitions; 233. Prohibition on ephemeral messaging features for minors; 234. Prohibition on direct messaging features for children; 235. Parental controls for direct messaging features for teens; 236. Rule of construction on encryption; 237. Relationship to State law; 238. Effective date; 241. Short title; 242. User defined; 243. Market research; 244. Relationship to State laws; 245. Effective date; TITLE III—SOCIAL GAMING PLATFORMS; 301. Short title; 302. Definitions; 303. Safeguards requirements for online video game providers; 304. Relationship to State laws; TITLE IV—ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CHATBOTS; 401. Short title; 402. Definitions; 403. Certain statements prohibited; 404. Disclosure required; 405. Policies required; 406. Rule of construction; 407. Relationship to State laws; TITLE V—RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND BEST PRACTICES FOR PROTECTING MINORS ONLINE; 501. Definitions; PART 1—SAFE SOCIAL MEDIA ACT; 511. Short title; 512. Report by Commission on social media use by minors; PART 2—NO FENTANYL ON SOCIAL MEDIA ACT; 513. Short title; 514. Report on the ability of minors to access fentanyl through social media platforms; PART 3—ASSESSING SAFETY TOOLS FOR PARENTS AND MINORS ACT; 515. Short title; 516. Industry review and report; PART 4—STUDY ON CHATBOTS AND MENTAL HEALTH OF MINORS; 517. Study required; 518. Consultation; 519. Report; PART 1—PROMOTING A SAFE INTERNET FOR MINORS ACT; 521. Short title; 522. Online safety for minors; PART 2—AI WARNINGS AND RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION (AWARE) ACT; 523. Short title; 524. Chatbots and minors; 525. Short title; 526. Kids Internet Safety Partnership; TITLE VI—GENERAL PROVISIONS; 601. Enforcement; 602. Judicial review; 603. Rules of construction; 604. Severability; 605. Effective date

Engrossed

H. R. 7757

March 3, 2026

A BILL

To protect children and teens online, empower parents and strengthen families, and for other purposes.

Engrossed

H. R. 7757

March 3, 2026

A BILL

To protect children and teens online, empower parents and strengthen families, and for other purposes.

Engrossed

H. R. 7757

March 3, 2026

A BILL

To protect children and teens online, empower parents and strengthen families, and for other purposes.

H.R.7757

H. R. 7757

H.R.7757

H. R. 7757

H.R.7757

H. R. 7757

H.R.7757

H. R. 7757