The KIDS Act in the USA: New Rules for Online Child and Teen Protection

U.S. legislation in the area of online child safety is making significant strides. The recent passage of the 'Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act' (KIDS Act) by the House of Representatives and the subsequent advancements of related proposals in the Senate Commerce Committee signal a global trend towards tightening rules for digital platforms. The goal is to protect minors from online risks—from cyberbullying to predators and addictive algorithms. These changes will not only impact the American market but also set a precedent for regulation worldwide.

What is the KIDS Act and Why Now?

KIDS Act (H.R. 7757) is a comprehensive bill that combines more than a dozen previously introduced standalone bills concerning child online safety. Its passage on June 29, 2026, by the House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote of 267 to 117, underscores the growing urgency to address the impact of digital platforms on young people. Furthermore, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously advanced the 'Kids Online Safety Act' (KOSA) and other measures related to online child safety and AI on August 5, 2026, demonstrating strong political will.

The current digital ecosystem presents numerous risks for children and teenagers. While platforms offer opportunities for learning and communication, they also expose them to harmful content, bullying, and potentially addictive mechanisms. The legislation seeks to address these issues comprehensively and strengthen the role of parents.

Key Pillars of the New Legislation

The KIDS Act and related proposals introduce several key measures that fundamentally change how online services operate for minors:

• Expanded COPPA and Teen Protection: The existing Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which focuses on children under 13, is set to expand to cover children up to age 14, and new privacy protections would extend to teens up to age 17. Targeted advertising to anyone under 18 based on their personal information would be prohibited.
• Age Verification: Websites with a large amount of sexual content will be required to verify users' ages through means more robust than simply confirming their date of birth. This could lead to a broader implementation of strong age verification systems across online services.
• Default Privacy and Safety Settings: Social media platforms will be mandated to automatically provide minors with the strongest possible privacy and safety settings. This includes tools to control who can contact them and limit addictive features like endless scrolling.
• Parental Controls: Parents will gain tools to manage their child's account settings, including limiting purchases and time spent on social media platforms.
• Messaging Safeguards: Private messaging will be prohibited for minors under 13, and disappearing messages will be banned for minors under 17, with parental approval required before a teen can message a new contact.
• Advertising Restrictions: Social media platforms will be barred from conducting market research on known minors or targeting them with advertisements for alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, gambling, and narcotics.
• Regulation of 'Addictive' Features (New York SAFE For Kids Act): In addition to federal legislation, New York on July 28, 2026, released final rules for its SAFE For Kids Act, which will go into effect on January 25, 2027. This act requires online platforms with an 'addictive feed' (defined as 20% or more of time spent by monthly active users on such content) to restrict providing it and nighttime notifications for minor users unless verifiable parental consent is obtained.

Impacts on Platforms and the Digital Ecosystem

For online platforms, especially those targeting users under 18, these regulations necessitate fundamental changes. They will need to invest in robust age verification systems, redesign user interfaces to ensure the strictest default privacy settings, and rethink their advertising and monetization strategies. KOSA, for instance, imposes a 'duty of care' on platforms to prevent and mitigate specified harm to minors.

Checklist for Digital Platforms:

• Age Verification: Have you implemented a robust system that goes beyond mere date of birth entry? How do you verify age for access to adult content?
• Default Privacy: Are the default privacy and safety settings for users under 18 as strict as possible? Are they easy to understand and manage?
• Addictive Features: Have you identified and limited features that could lead to addictive behavior (e.g., endless scrolling, continuous notifications) for minors?
• Targeted Advertising: Do you have mechanisms to prevent targeted advertising to minors based on their personal data and to block ads for prohibited products?
• Parental Controls: Do you offer parents clear and functional tools to manage their children's accounts?
• Messaging: Are private messages for the youngest users and disappearing messages for teenagers restricted?

What This Means for Parents and Schools

For parents and schools, this legislation strengthens their role in protecting children online. They gain new tools and the assurance that platforms will have greater accountability. However, even the strictest regulation cannot replace active adult involvement. It is crucial for parents and educators to understand the new features and settings that will become available and to continue educating children about digital literacy and safe online behavior. Our experience shows that a combination of technological protection and human oversight is most effective.

Author's Judgment: Cautious Optimism and Implementation Challenges

It is clear that the pressure to protect children online is global and justified. The KIDS Act and similar initiatives in the U.S. are moving in the right direction, as they seek to address specific mechanisms that contribute to risks. I particularly appreciate the focus on default privacy settings and the ban on targeted advertising, areas where platforms have previously relied on user passivity. However, implementation, especially robust and consistent age verification across various services, will be a huge challenge. There is a risk that overly restrictive measures could limit access to useful content or lead to circumvention of rules. The key will be to find a balance between protection and freedom, without creating complex, fragmented systems that would be confusing for users. In conclusion, while these measures represent a significant step forward, their true impact will depend on detailed implementation and continuous adaptation to the dynamically changing digital environment.

Consequence of Inaction

If online platforms fail to act and adapt to the new regulations, they risk not only hefty fines but also a loss of user trust and reputational damage. For children and teenagers, inaction would mean continued exposure to cyber risks, negative impacts on mental health, and loss of privacy. Without clear rules and their enforcement, the digital space becomes a wild west, where the most vulnerable pay the highest price.

When General Guidance is Not Enough

While a basic understanding of the KIDS Act is important for everyone, its full implementation and product adaptation present a complex legal and technical challenge. For companies operating in the online space with minor users, simply reading the news is no longer sufficient. Detailed legal analysis, a technical audit of existing systems, and strategic planning are required. In such situations, it makes sense to bring in an experienced partner who understands digital regulations and can help with a concrete solution proposal—from privacy settings to age verification—and team training. It is precisely with such challenges in the field of digital child safety and regulatory compliance that we assist at one-o-one.cz, as part of our onesafety project.

Appropriate Next Step

For parents and educators, I recommend familiarizing yourselves with the new features and settings that platforms will begin to offer and actively utilizing them. For online platforms, it is crucial to conduct an internal audit of compliance with the new requirements and to start planning the necessary technical and process changes well in advance, especially considering the effective date of New York's SAFE For Kids Act in January 2027. Monitor legislative developments in the Senate, as the final form of the law may still change.

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FAQ

Q: When will the KIDS Act come into force? A: The KIDS Act was passed by the House of Representatives on June 29, 2026, and is now awaiting deliberation in the Senate. New York's SAFE For Kids Act will come into effect on January 25, 2027.

Q: Will the KIDS Act affect platforms outside the USA? A: Although the KIDS Act is U.S. legislation, its impacts can be global. Large international platforms will likely need to implement changes that affect users worldwide, similar to what happened with GDPR in Europe.

Q: What does 'addictive feed' mean under New York's SAFE For Kids Act? A: The act defines an 'addictive feed' as an online platform where 20% or more of the time spent by monthly active users is dedicated to content recommended based on user data or previous interactions. Platforms will need to limit addictive features and nighttime notifications for minors for such content without verifiable parental consent.