Congress advances bills to protect kids online

The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a legislative package this week that includes the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act and advanced related measures such as the App Store Accountability Act and COPPA 2.0; further legislative steps are undetermined at this time.

Congressional leaders say they are moving to address online risks facing children and teens by advancing several new bills this week. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act and advanced other measures that its sponsors say will expand parental controls, limit minors’ access to adult content, and update privacy rules. Lawmakers point to recent legislation, including the Take It Down Act signed by the president, as part of a broader effort to adapt rules to new internet technologies. Committee members described the package as aiming to combine privacy, transparency and accountability across the online ecosystem. Key developments: - The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act this week, according to the article. - The Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act would require age-verification for sites with adult content, include parental-control tools, and add disclosure requirements for certain AI chat functions, as described in the article. - The committee also advanced the App Store Accountability Act, which the article says would establish a private process for verifying users’ ages and obtaining parental permission for minors. - Lawmakers are working on a COPPA 2.0 proposal to modernize the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and extend privacy protections for teens, according to the article. Summary: Committee leaders presented these measures as a coordinated package intended to protect children online and to increase industry accountability. Undetermined at this time.