Online safety and social media

Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act or the TAKE IT DOWN Act

This act generally prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms (e.g., social media platforms) to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.

Specifically, the act prohibits the online publication of intimate visual depictions of

• an adult subject where publication is intended to cause or does cause harm to the subject, and where the depiction was published without the subject’s consent or, in the case of an authentic depiction, was created or obtained under circumstances where the adult had a reasonable expectation of privacy; or

• a minor subject where publication is intended to abuse or harass the minor or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.

Violators are subject to mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both. Threats to publish intimate visual depictions of a subject are similarly prohibited and subject to criminal penalties.

Separately, covered platforms must establish a process through which subjects of intimate visual depictions may notify the platform of the existence of, and request removal of, an intimate visual depiction including the subject that was published without the subject’s consent. Covered platforms must remove such depictions within 48 hours of notification. Under the act, covered platforms are defined as public websites, online services, or applications that primarily provide a forum for user-generated content.

Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act or the KIDS Act

This bill requires specified online platforms to establish safeguards for minors. The safeguards include (1) limiting access to specified sexual material, (2) providing parental controls on social media and online video game platforms, and (3) requiring artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to disclose certain information to users who are minors.

First, publicly available online platforms on which more than one-third of the content is considered sexual material harmful to minors under the bill must adopt technology to identify minors and prevent them from accessing such material.

Next, social media platforms must (1) implement default settings for minors that limit compulsive usage features and the ability of other users to communicate with minors, and (2) provide tools for parents to manage the privacy and account settings of a minor. Social media platforms may not allow ephemeral messaging features for minors.

The bill also requires online video game platforms to provide tools that allow parents to (1) limit communication between a minor and other users of the platform, and (2) restrict purchases by a minor on the platform.

Further, providers of AI chatbots must disclose to users who are minors (1) that the chatbot is an AI system and not a human, and (2) suicide and crisis intervention hotline information.

Finally, the bill requires specified studies and reports about the effects of social media platforms on minors and provides for enforcement of the bill's requirements by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.

Kids Online Safety Act

This bill requires covered online platforms, including social media platforms, to implement tools and safeguards to protect users and visitors under the age of 17. Covered platforms are online platforms, video games, messaging applications, or video streaming services used or likely to be used by individuals under the age of 17, with specified exceptions.

The bill generally requires covered platforms to exercise reasonable care in the design and use of features that increase minors’ online activity in order to prevent and mitigate harm to minors (e.g., mental health disorders and severe harassment).

Covered platforms are also required to provide certain safeguards to minors, such as protections for minors’ data; tools for parents of minors, such as access to minors’ privacy settings; and a mechanism for account holders and visitors to report harm to minors on the platform.

Covered platforms are prohibited from conducting market or product research on children under the age of 13, and may only conduct such research on those under the age of 17 with parental consent.

The bill provides for enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission and states.

The bill also requires online platforms to meet certain requirements before using algorithms that select, order, or prioritize information presented to users based on user-specific data not provided for that purpose. Specifically, such platforms must (1) provide users with notice of the use of such algorithms, and (2) permit users to switch to an algorithm that does not rely on such user-specific data.

Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act of 2025 or the STOP CSAM Act of 2025

This bill revises the federal framework governing the prevention of online child sexual exploitation to expand protections for victims, expand requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers), and expand related penalties and remedies.

The bill extends protections for child victims and witnesses who testify in federal court (e.g., privacy protections) to child victims and witnesses of kidnapping offenses and to child victims and witnesses who were under 18 years of age at the time of the crime, even if they are 18 or older at the time of court proceedings.

Additionally, the bill establishes statutory procedures for courts to appoint a trustee to hold restitution payments for certain victims (e.g., minor victims) of offenses involving human trafficking, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse material, illegal sexual activity and related crimes, or crimes of violence.

The bill requires providers to report online child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline (i.e., the national reporting system for online child sexual exploitation) within 60 days. Reports must include specified information, such as information about repeat offenders. The bill establishes criminal and civil penalties for providers who fail to comply with the requirements.

Finally, the bill prohibits providers from hosting or storing child pornography or knowingly facilitating the sexual exploitation of children and allows victims to pursue civil remedies.

Guidelines for User Age-verification and Responsible Dialogue Act of 2026 or the GUARD Act

This bill establishes requirements for and limitations on entities that provide publicly available artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, including AI companions.

Under the bill, an AI chatbot is an application or program that simulates human conversation by generating responses to user prompts. An AI companion is a type of AI chatbot that simulates a sustained interpersonal relationship or emotional interaction with the user.

The bill makes it a federal crime to provide an AI chatbot that exposes minors to sexual content or encourages minors to commit suicide or carry out nonsuicidal self-injury, unlawful physical or sexual violence, or homicide. A violation is subject to a criminal fine of up to $250,000 per offense.

Additionally, the bill prohibits minors from accessing AI companions. Under the bill, an entity that provides an AI chatbot must require each individual who accesses an AI companion to set up a user account and must also verify that the user is an adult. A violation is subject to a civil penalty of up to $250,000 per violation.

Finally, the bill requires an AI chatbot that is publicly available to disclose that the AI chatbot is not a human and is not a licensed professional (e.g. doctor, lawyer, or therapist). A violation is subject to a civil penalty of up to $250,000 per violation.

Kids Off Social Media Act

This bill limits children’s access to social media platforms and requires both platforms and schools to implement certain restrictions on children’s social media usage.

Specifically, the bill prohibits social media platforms from knowingly allowing children under the age of 13 to create or maintain accounts. Platforms must delete existing accounts held by children and any personal data collected from child users. Platforms are also generally prohibited from using automated systems to suggest or promote content based on personal data collected from users under the age of 17. The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to enforce these provisions. States may also bring civil actions against platforms whose violations of these provisions have adversely affected their residents.

Further, as a condition of receiving discounted telecommunications service under the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-Rate) program, schools must enforce policies preventing the use of E-Rate-supported services, networks, and devices to access social media, and must use blocking or filtering technology to prevent such access. Schools that do not make a good faith effort to comply and correct known violations are required to reimburse any E-Rate support they received for the applicable period. Schools must also submit copies of their internet safety policies to the Federal Communications Commission for publication.

Under the bill, social media platforms are defined as public-facing sites that function primarily as forums for user-generated content. Some categories of online platforms are explicitly excluded, including sites that provide primarily videoconferencing, emailing, or educational services.

PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and updates (1) the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (National Strategy), and (2) the National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program.

With respect to the National Strategy, current law requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to update the strategy every two years and include 19 specific elements in the strategy (e.g., long-range goals, annual measurable objectives, and future trends). This bill requires DOJ to update the National Strategy every four years. The bill also revises and consolidates the 19 required elements into 9 required elements, including an analysis of current trends and challenges as well as the overall magnitude of the threat of child exploitation.

The ICAC Task Force Program is a national network of task forces that support state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute the online sexual exploitation of children. This bill requires ICAC task forces to increase the investigative capacity of law enforcement to identify child victims and report the number of child victims identified in their annual reports. The bill also limits the liability of ICAC task forces for civil claims or criminal charges in federal or state court arising from decisions with respect to leads related to internet crimes against children.

Finally, the bill requires the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to provide additional information to law enforcement agencies when it refers a report of online sexual exploitation of children for investigation.

Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes On Websites and Networks Act or the TAKE IT DOWN Act

This bill generally prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the online publication of intimate visual depictions of

• an adult subject where publication is intended to cause or does cause harm to the subject, and where the depiction was published without the subject’s consent or, in the case of an authentic depiction, was created or obtained under circumstances where the adult had a reasonable expectation of privacy; or

• a minor subject where publication is intended to abuse or harass the minor or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.

Violators are subject to mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both. Threats to publish intimate visual depictions of a subject are similarly prohibited under the bill and subject to criminal penalties.

Separately, covered platforms must establish a process through which subjects of intimate visual depictions may notify the platform of the existence of, and request removal of, an intimate visual depiction including the subject that was published without the subject’s consent. Covered platforms must remove such depictions within 48 hours of notification. Under the bill, covered platforms are defined as public websites, online services, or applications that primarily provide a forum for user-generated content.

Strengthening Transparency and Obligations to Protect Children Suffering from Abuse and Mistreatment Act of 2025 or the STOP CSAM Act of 2025

This bill revises the federal framework governing the prevention of online child sexual exploitation to expand protections for victims, expand requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers), and expand related penalties and remedies.

The bill extends protections for child victims and witnesses who testify in federal court (e.g., privacy protections) to child victims and witnesses of kidnapping offenses and to child victims and witnesses who were under 18 years of age at the time of the crime, even if they are 18 or older at the time of court proceedings.

Additionally, the bill establishes statutory procedures for courts to appoint a trustee to hold restitution payments for certain victims (e.g., minor victims) of offenses involving human trafficking, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse material, illegal sexual activity and related crimes, or crimes of violence.

The bill requires providers to report online child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline (i.e., the national reporting system for online child sexual exploitation) within 60 days. Reports must include specified information, such as information about repeat offenders. The bill establishes criminal and civil penalties for providers who fail to comply with the requirements.

Finally, the bill prohibits providers from hosting or storing child pornography or knowingly facilitating the sexual exploitation of children and allows victims to pursue civil remedies.

Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act or the SCREEN Act

This bill establishes age-verification requirements for commercial interactive computer services (e.g., websites) that make available content that is harmful to minors (e.g., content that appeals to the prurient interest in nudity or sex, is obscene, or is child pornography).

Specifically, the bill requires such services to adopt and utilize technology verification measures to ensure that (1) users of the service are not minors, and (2) minors are prevented from accessing any content on the service that is harmful to minors.

Additionally, such services must (1) use the technology to verify a user's age; (2) publish the verification process that the service uses; and (3) subject users' Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, including known virtual proxy network (VPN) IP addresses, to the technology verification measures, unless the service determines a user is not located within the United States.

Covered services also must implement data security measures to protect information about individuals collected through the verification process.

The Federal Trade Commission must conduct regular audits of such services, issue guidance, and otherwise enforce the requirements of this bill.

Sammy’s Law

This bill requires large social media platforms to permit certain providers of safety software to monitor and manage the activity of children under the age of 17 on such platforms.

Specifically, large social media platforms must make available a mechanism by which a child or their parent or guardian may permit a provider of safety software to (1) manage the child’s interactions, content, and account settings on the platform; and (2) regularly access the child’s user data.

A software provider may only disclose a child’s data under limited circumstances, including to the child’s parent or guardian if the child is experiencing or is at foreseeable risk of experiencing specified harms. Such harms include suicide, eating disorders, sexual abuse, harassment, and academic dishonesty. The provider may only share data necessary for a reasonable parent or caregiver to understand that the child is experiencing or is at risk of harm.

To participate, a software provider must register with the Federal Trade Commission, undergo a security review, and demonstrate that, among other requirements, the provider is based in the United States and will use a child's data solely to protect them from harm.

Under the bill, a large social media platform is generally a service that enables a child to share content through the internet with other users that the child has become aware of solely through the platform, and which has more than 100 million monthly global active users or generates more than $1 billion in gross annual revenue.

Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution Act of 2025 or the SHIELD Act of 2025

This bill establishes new federal criminal offenses related to the distribution of sexual exploitative content.

First, the bill makes it a crime to knowingly mail or distribute (or intentionally threaten to mail or distribute) an intimate visual depiction of a recognizable adult engaged in sexual conduct. To constitute a crime, certain elements must be met, including that the distribution must be nonconsensual; the depiction is not a matter of public concern; and the distribution must be intended to cause harm or cause harm. A violator is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both; mandatory restitution; and the forfeiture of material involved in the offense, property constituting or derived from the proceeds from the offense, and property used to commit or facilitate the offense.

Second, the bill makes it a crime to knowingly mail or distribute (or intentionally threaten to mail or distribute) a visual depiction of a nude minor with intent to abuse, humiliate, harass, or degrade the minor, or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person. A violator is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to three years, or both; mandatory restitution; and the forfeiture of material involved in the offense, property constituting or derived from the proceeds from the offense, and property used to commit or facilitate the offense.

Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2025

This bill requires the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State to combat the use of social media by transnational criminal organizations to recruit individuals in the United States for illicit activities.

Specifically, the departments must jointly assess and implement a strategy to combat the use of social media platforms, messaging services, and other interactive digital platforms by these organizations to recruit individuals to engage in or support unlawful activities in the United States, Mexico, or otherwise near a U.S. international border.

PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and updates (1) the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction (National Strategy), and (2) the National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program.

With respect to the National Strategy, current law requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to update the strategy every two years and include 19 specific elements in the strategy (e.g., long-range goals, annual measurable objectives, and future trends). This bill requires DOJ to update the National Strategy every four years. The bill also revises and consolidates the 19 required elements into 9 required elements, including an analysis of current trends and challenges as well as the overall magnitude of the threat of child exploitation.

The ICAC Task Force Program is a national network of task forces that support state and local efforts to investigate and prosecute the online sexual exploitation of children. This bill requires ICAC task forces to increase the investigative capacity of law enforcement to identify child victims and report the number of child victims identified in their annual reports. The bill also limits the liability of ICAC task forces for civil claims or criminal charges in federal or state court arising from decisions with respect to leads related to internet crimes against children.

Finally, the bill requires the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to provide additional information to law enforcement agencies when it refers a report of online sexual exploitation of children for investigation.

Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act or the SCREEN Act

This bill establishes age-verification requirements for commercial interactive computer services (e.g., websites) that make available content that is harmful to minors (e.g., content that appeals to the prurient interest in nudity or sex, is obscene, or is child pornography).

Specifically, the bill requires such services to adopt and utilize technology verification measures to ensure that (1) users of the service are not minors, and (2) minors are prevented from accessing any content on the service that is harmful to minors.

Additionally, such services must (1) use the technology to verify a user's age; (2) publish the verification process that the service uses; and (3) subject users' Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, including known virtual proxy network (VPN) IP addresses, to the technology verification measures, unless the service determines a user is not located within the United States.

Covered services also must implement data security measures to protect information about individuals collected through the verification process.

The Federal Trade Commission must conduct regular audits of such services, issue guidance, and otherwise enforce the requirements of this bill.

Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2025

This bill requires the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State to combat the use of social media by transnational criminal organizations to recruit individuals in the United States for illicit activities.

Specifically, the departments must jointly assess and implement a strategy to combat the use of social media platforms, messaging services, and other interactive digital platforms by these organizations to recruit individuals to engage in or support unlawful activities in the United States, Mexico, or otherwise near a U.S. international border.