Bill > HR7757

This bill, known as the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), aims to protect children and teens online by implementing various measures across different online platforms and technologies. It mandates that platforms offering sexual material harmful to minors must use technology to verify ages and prevent minors from accessing such content, while also requiring data security for age verification information. For general online platforms, it requires providers to establish policies addressing harms like sexual exploitation, drug sales, and financial scams, and to offer safeguards for minors, such as limiting communication and recommendations, with default settings prioritizing safety. Parents will have access to tools to manage their children's privacy, account settings, and screen time, and platforms must provide clear notices about these tools. The bill also restricts certain messaging features for minors, prohibiting ephemeral messaging for all minors and direct messaging for those under 13, while requiring parental controls for teens' direct messaging. It further prohibits market research on minors unless it's for improving safety or complying with laws. For interactive online video games, providers must offer communication safeguards for minors, enabled by default and set to the most protective level. Additionally, the bill addresses artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots by prohibiting them from falsely claiming to be licensed professionals and requiring clear disclosures that they are AI systems, not humans, and providing resources for suicide prevention hotlines, with policies to prevent access to harmful content and promote breaks from continuous use. The legislation also includes provisions for research and education on online safety, including studies on social media's impact on minors' mental health, the accessibility of fentanyl through social media, and the effectiveness of industry safety tools, alongside initiatives to promote safe internet use and develop educational resources about AI chatbots. Finally, it establishes a Kids Internet Safety Partnership to coordinate efforts and develop best practices for online safety for minors.