Senate Commerce Committee Advances Bills to Enhance Online Safety for Children
The Senate Commerce Committee has advanced four bills aimed at enhancing online safety for children. The legislative package includes the Kids Online Safety Act, which mandates online platforms to implement safeguards for services frequently used by minors, such as social media and video-streaming platforms. The committee's ranking member, Sen. Maria Cantwell, emphasized the need for social media companies to take responsibility for design choices that could expose children to harmful content. The bills also address the use of AI chatbots and AI-enabled toys, requiring parental consent and protective settings for minors. Despite the committee's approval, the bills face uncertain prospects in the House, where a previous version stalled. 
