House Passes Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act 267-117

The United States House of Representatives passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act on June 29, 2026, in a 267-117 bipartisan vote. The legislation mandates that online platforms implement policies to protect children from sexual exploitation, drug sales, and physical violence. Key provisions include mandatory age verification for pornography websites, parental controls for social media and gaming, a federal registry of data brokers, and requirements for AI chatbots to disclose their non-human status and provide suicide prevention resources.

Despite the House victory, the bill faces significant friction in the U.S. Senate. Lawmakers, led by Senator Marsha Blackburn, argue the House version is too weak because it lacks a "duty of care" provision. This provision, included in a separate 2024 Senate bill, would hold tech companies more strictly accountable for harms such as anxiety and eating disorders. While House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie described the bill as an important milestone, critics from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU warn the legislation could lead to excessive data collection or unconstitutional censorship.

The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate, where the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has not yet scheduled a markup. Senator Blackburn continues to negotiate with the White House to secure support for a broader legislative package that would address these differing standards of corporate accountability.