US House passes youth online safety legislation

The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, a bipartisan measure that would require online platforms to introduce safeguards aimed at protecting children from harmful online content and addictive features.

The bill was approved in a 267-117 vote, with support from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, reflecting growing concern in Congress over the impact of social media and other online platforms on young users.

Under the proposed legislation, online companies would be required to provide tools that allow children to limit addictive platform features and implement policies designed to protect minors from harms such as sexual exploitation.

The measure marks the House's first major effort to regulate online child safety since the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Kids Online Safety Act in 2024 by a 91-3 vote.

Unlike the House bill, the Senate's proposal would impose a broader "duty of care" on social media companies, requiring them to take greater responsibility for protecting young users from online harms.

Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee has been working with the White House to build support for a legislative package that includes the Senate measure.

The House and Senate will need to reconcile differences between their respective bills before any final legislation can be sent to the president for approval. -Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Chris Reese/Reuters