Subcommittee advances about 18 bills on kidsonline safety; many move to full committee

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Tuesday advanced a broad package of bills aimed at protecting children and teens online, voting to send about 18 individual measures to the full committee for further action.

The markup included a mix of study directives, new standards for platform design and parental tools, and updates to existing privacy laws. Measures approved included bipartisan study bills directing the Federal Trade Commission and Health and Human Services to assess social media harms, bills to examine how dealers use social platforms to traffic fentanyl to minors, amendments to the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Kids Online Safety Act (COSA) in amended form.

Why it matters: The suite of bills is designed to address multiple pathways of online harm: data collection and resale, addictive product design, algorithmic amplification and age assurance. Several members said the package represents a comprehensive approach, while others warned that certain provisions could strip away existing state protections.

What the subcommittee did today

Votes at a glance - HR 6290 (Safe Social Media Act): directed FTC and HHS to study social media effects on minors; forwarded to full committee (voice vote: ayes have it). - HR 6259 (No Fentanyl on Social Media Act): study directive on drug trafficking via social platforms; forwarded (voice vote: ayes have it). - HR 6289 (Promoting a Safe Internet for Minors Act): FTC public outreach/education campaign; forwarded (voice vote). - HR 6437 (Kids Internet Safety Partnership): bipartisan partnership to develop best practices; forwarded (voice vote). - HR 5360 (AWARE Act / AI chatbots): amendment agreed and bill forwarded. - HR 6499 (Assessing Safety Tools for Parents): FTC study of parental tools; forwarded. - HR 6257 (Sammy's Law / third-party watchdogs): authorizes third-party safety apps with limits; forwarded. - HR 6265 (Safer Gaming Act): parental controls for online game chats, amendment agreed; forwarded. - HR 6273 (Spy Kids Act / Stop Profiling Youth and Kids Act): limits product-focused research on minors; amendment agreed; forwarded. - HR 6253 (Algorithmic Choice & Transparency Act): requires opt-out and disclosures for recommendation algorithms; forwarded. - HR 6489 (Safe Bots Act): chatbot disclosures and safety routing; forwarded. - HR 1623 (adult content age verification amendment): amendment adopted to require age verification for explicit sites; forwarded. - HR 6257 (Safe Messaging for Kids Act, SMK): restricts ephemeral messaging and unsolicited direct contact for minors; forwarded. - HR 3149 / App store-related bills and amendments: multiple amendments addressing age assurance and app-store responsibilities were discussed and several amendments agreed to; bills forwarded as amended. - HR 6292 (Don't Sell Kids' Data Act): amendment in the nature of a substitute adopted; forwarded (voice vote). - HR 6484 (Kids Online Safety Act, COSA): AINS (amendment in the nature of a substitute) adopted; forwarded by roll-call (13 ayes, 10 noes). - HR 6291 (COPPA 2): advanced by roll-call (reported as 14 ayes, 10 noes) after Democrats raised concerns about broad preemption.

Key themes and dissents Members expressing support said the bills create a layered approach: studies to inform policy, parental tools, targeted prohibitions on risky design features, and agency oversight. Members in opposition repeatedly flagged two recurring issues: (1) the bills' preemption language, which some Democrats said would block stronger state laws and ongoing state litigation; and (2) the lack of a clear duty-of-care or stronger "knowledge" standard in some texts that Democrats argued is necessary to hold platforms accountable for foreseeable harms.

Notable debates - Preemption: Several Democrats (including Rep. Castor, Rep. Schakowsky, and others) warned that broad preemption clauses in bills such as COPPA 2 and some versions of COSA could undermine state protections and pending state enforcement actions. - Enforcement capacity: Multiple speakers urged that any federal framework be paired with a fully staffed, independent Federal Trade Commission to enforce new rules. - Law enforcement carve-outs: On the Don't Sell Kids' Data Act, members heard requests from law enforcement groups for carefully scoped exceptions so criminal investigators retain access to tools needed in child-exploitation or trafficking cases. Sponsors pledged to work in the regular order to address those concerns.

What happens next All of the bills the subcommittee considered were forwarded to the full Energy and Commerce Committee, some by voice vote and several by roll call. Committee staff was authorized to make technical and conforming changes before full-committee consideration.

The subcommittee adjourned after the final roll-call votes.