Overview
Title
To prohibit users who are under age 13 from accessing social media platforms, to prohibit the use of personalized recommendation systems on individuals under age 17, and limit the use of social media in schools.
ELI5 AI
This bill says kids under 13 can't use social media, and those under 17 can't have special recommendations based on their info. It also stops schools from using internet money to access social media and keeps their internet safe.
Summary AI
The bill, titled the "Kids Off Social Media Act," aims to prevent children under 13 from using social media platforms and restricts personalized recommendation systems for users under 17. It mandates social media companies to delete personal data of accounts belonging to children and limits data usage for recommendation systems to basic information. The bill also amends the Children's Internet Protection Act to prohibit schools from using federal broadband subsidies to access social media platforms, enhancing internet safety policies in educational settings. Enforcement and penalties are managed by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, ensuring compliance with these new regulations.
Published
Keywords AI
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Bill Statistics
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AnalysisAI
The "Kids Off Social Media Act" aims to regulate children's and teenagers' use of social media by implementing several key restrictions. The bill prohibits users under age 13 from accessing social media platforms and restricts the use of personalized recommendation systems for individuals under 17. Additionally, it seeks to limit the use of social media in schools. This proposed legislation could reshape how young users interact with social media, impacting children, teenagers, parents, educators, and social media companies.
Summary of Significant Issues
One of the pivotal issues with this bill lies in its vague definitions, particularly regarding age verification procedures. Section 103 does not articulate how social media platforms should confirm a user's age, posing significant challenges for enforcement and raising privacy concerns. Without clear guidelines, platforms may struggle to comply, potentially leading to inconsistent application of the rules or privacy violations as additional personal data collection could be required to verify users' ages.
Another significant issue is the ambiguous definition of "personalized recommendation system" in Section 102, which could complicate enforcement. This lack of clarity might lead to varied interpretations across different platforms, resulting in uneven application of the law. Furthermore, the overlapping age definitions of "child" and "teen" may cause confusion, further complicating enforcement and legal clarity.
Section 107's preemption clause raises concerns about how this federal law will interact with existing state laws. The potential for litigation and enforcement challenges is considerable if state laws conflict with this legislation.
Broad Impact on the Public
The bill aims to shield children and teenagers from potentially harmful effects of social media, such as data exploitation and inappropriate content exposure. However, its strict limitations could also prevent young individuals from accessing the benefits that social media platforms offer, such as educational content and social connectivity.
From a public perspective, while the intent to protect younger users is clear, its implementation could affect the overall user experience on social media. Users over the age limit might experience changes in how platforms curate content if systems are adjusted to meet the bill's requirements.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Children and Teenagers: This bill could significantly alter their online experiences, potentially reducing their exposure to harmful material. However, it might also limit access to legitimate and beneficial content, hampering online educational opportunities and communication with peers.
Parents and Guardians: With the responsibility for children's online safety often falling to parents, this legislation could be seen as a supportive measure in managing their children's social media activity. However, they may also face challenges as children might try to circumvent age restrictions.
Educators and Schools: Schools will need to adjust to the regulations on using social media in educational settings, affecting how educational content is delivered and potentially increasing administrative and technological burdens.
Social Media Companies: These businesses face the technical and logistical challenge of implementing the bill’s provisions. The unclear guidelines on age verification and recommendation systems may necessitate substantial changes to current technologies and processes, impacting their operational costs and revenue models.
In conclusion, while the "Kids Off Social Media Act" reflects a proactive approach to addressing growing concerns about young users' digital safety, it also presents significant challenges in implementation and enforcement. The bill's impact will largely depend on how its provisions are clarified and operationalized across diverse stakeholders in the digital ecosystem.
Issues
The bill's age verification requirements are vague, leading to potential non-compliance and privacy issues. Section 103 does not specify the method by which social media platforms should verify user ages, raising questions about enforcement and data privacy.
The definition of 'personalized recommendation system' in Section 102 is ambiguous, potentially complicating enforcement and leading to inconsistent application across platforms.
Confusion may arise due to the overlapping definitions of 'teen' and 'child' in Section 102, which could lead to enforcement difficulties and legal ambiguities.
Section 107’s preemption clause could lead to confusion regarding what state laws conflict with this federal law, leading to potential litigation and enforcement challenges.
The lack of funding provisions in Section 1 may raise concerns about the practical implementation of the bill's enforcement mechanisms and support for platforms in compliance efforts.
The provisions for attorney general notifications to the Federal Trade Commission in Section 106 might delay timely state action against violations, potentially hindering consumer protection efforts.
By relying on 'knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances' in Section 105, there is a risk of inconsistent interpretation across platforms, leading to uneven enforcement of age restrictions.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title; table of contents Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The document introduces the "Kids Off Social Media Act" which aims to restrict social media use for children under 13 and limit the use of personalized recommendation systems for minors. It outlines enforcement measures and updates to existing internet safety regulations, and includes sections on how the act interacts with other laws and its implementation timeline.
101. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Kids Off Social Media Act is the proposed title for this section of the bill.
102. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The text defines several terms related to social media and privacy regulation, such as “personalized recommendation system”, which is a system that suggests content based on a user's personal data, and “social media platform”, which is a service primarily used for user-generated content but excludes services focused on e-commerce, file sharing, or education. It also specifies the age definitions for a “child” as under 13, and a “teen” as between 13 and 17 years old.
103. No children under 13 Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
Social media platforms are not allowed to let children under 13 have an account, and must delete any existing accounts or profiles they know belong to children. When an account is deleted because of this rule, platforms must also erase all the child's personal data, but they have 90 days to request a copy of their data, which must be provided in an understandable and portable format. However, platforms can keep minimal records necessary to show they have followed this rule.
104. Prohibition on the use of personalized recommendation systems on children or teens Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
A social media platform is prohibited from using personalized recommendation systems to show content to children or teens based on their personal data unless it's limited to the device type, language, location, age, and the fact that they are a child or teen. The platform can still provide search results and protect against harmful activities without using personal data and is allowed to show content chosen by teens in a chronological order.
105. Determination of whether an operator has knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances that an individual is a child or teen Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section discusses how to determine if a social media platform knows a user is a child or teen based on objective circumstances, using reliable evidence to make this assessment. It also states that platforms are not required to collect age data or verify users' ages, and if they collect personal data voluntarily, they must only use it for compliance and not keep it longer than necessary.
106. Enforcement Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines how the enforcement of this title will be managed, specifying that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will treat violations as unfair practices, with the same authority and penalties as in the FTC Act. It also allows state attorneys general to sue social media platforms violating this title in federal court, but they must notify the FTC first unless it's not feasible. The FTC can join state actions and has the right to intervene, and states cannot sue the same defendant if the FTC is already pursuing action against them for the same violation.
107. Relationship to other laws Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section explains that this title of the law will override any state laws only if they clash with its rules. However, it allows states to create stronger protections for children and teens. It also clarifies that the title does not change how certain existing laws, like those concerning student privacy and online privacy for children, are applied, and it cannot be used to clash with a specific section of the Federal Trade Commission Act.
108. Effective date Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section states that this part of the law will become effective one year after the law is officially passed.
201. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section introduces the official name of the legislation, which is called the “Eyes on the Board Act of 2025”.
202. Updating the Children’s Internet Protection Act to include social media platforms Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill proposes changes to the Children’s Internet Protection Act to limit the use of school broadband subsidies for accessing social media platforms, requiring schools to certify they prevent students from using these platforms on school networks. Schools must also implement technology to block social media access, and compliance with these requirements is necessary for schools to receive discounted internet services.
203. Internet safety policies Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section updates the Communications Act of 1934 to require schools and libraries to share their Internet safety policies with the relevant authorities. Additionally, it mandates the creation of a public database where these policies are accessible for review by the Commission.
301. Severability Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
If any part of this Act is found to be unenforceable or invalid, the rest of the Act will remain in effect and will not be impacted.