Bill Summary
The "Kids Internet Safety Partnership Act" is legislation aimed at enhancing the online safety of minors by establishing the Kids Internet Safety Partnership under the Department of Commerce. This partnership will be created within one year of the law's enactment and will be led by a director appointed by the Secretary of Commerce.
The key responsibilities of the partnership include:
1. **Risk and Benefit Assessment**: Identifying risks and benefits associated with minors using online platforms and applications, in collaboration with federal agencies and various stakeholders.
2. **Reporting**: Producing reports every two years that detail the findings related to online safety for minors and the adoption of safety measures by online services.
3. **Best Practices Playbook**: Developing and publishing a playbook within two years to guide web and app developers on implementing best practices for protecting minors online. This includes recommendations on age verification, design features, parental tools, privacy settings, and reporting systems.
The partnership will involve collaboration with experts, parents, minors, educators, online platforms, and legal authorities to ensure a comprehensive approach to online safety. It is designed to operate for five years before terminating unless renewed. Overall, the legislation seeks to create a safer online environment for children and teenagers.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how the "Kids Internet Safety Partnership Act" could affect people:
1. **Enhanced Online Safety for Minors**: The establishment of the Kids Internet Safety Partnership would lead to the identification and implementation of best practices to protect minors while using online platforms. This could result in safer online environments for children, reducing their risk of exposure to harmful content or interactions. For parents, this means increased peace of mind knowing that there are guidelines and practices in place to safeguard their children while they navigate the internet.
2. **Parental Control Tools**: The Act mandates that the Partnership will develop and publish a playbook for online service providers that includes recommendations for parental tools. This could empower parents with more effective tools to monitor and manage their children's online activities, such as the ability to restrict screen time, view usage metrics, and control privacy settings. As a result, parents would have greater oversight of their children's online experiences, promoting healthier digital habits.
3. **Awareness of Risks and Benefits**: The periodic reports published by the Partnership will highlight both the risks and benefits of online activities for minors. By informing parents, educators, and stakeholders about these aspects, the legislation would foster a better understanding of how children interact with technology. This knowledge could lead to more informed discussions in families and schools about internet safety, encouraging proactive engagement with children regarding their online behavior and the potential challenges they may face.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6437 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6437
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Kids Internet
Safety Partnership to identify and advance best practices with respect
to the online safety of minors, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 4, 2025
Mr. Fry (for himself and Mr. Landsman) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish the Kids Internet
Safety Partnership to identify and advance best practices with respect
to the online safety of minors, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Kids Internet Safety Partnership
Act''.
SEC. 2. KIDS INTERNET SAFETY PARTNERSHIP.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish the Kids Internet
Safety Partnership.
(b) Director.--The Secretary shall appoint a Director to be the
head of the Partnership.
(c) Duties.--The duties of the Partnership shall be the following:
(1) Coordinate with relevant Federal agencies, including
the Federal Trade Commission, and stakeholders to identify--
(A) the risks for minors with respect to the use of
websites, online services, online applications, and
mobile applications;
(B) the benefits for minors with respect to the use
of websites, online services, online applications, and
mobile applications; and
(C) widely accepted or evidence-based best
practices that account for minors of different ages
and--
(i) address the risks identified under
subparagraph (A); and
(ii) preserve and enhance the benefits
identified under subparagraph (B).
(2) Not later than 1 year after the date on which the
Partnership is established, and every 2 years thereafter,
publish on a publicly available website a report that details--
(A) the identifications made under paragraph (1);
and
(B) the efficacy and adoption by websites, online
services, online applications, and mobile applications
of--
(i) safeguards for minors; and
(ii) parental tools.
(3) Not later than 2 years after the date on which the
Partnership is established, publish on a publicly available
website a playbook for providers and developers of websites,
online services, online applications, and mobile applications
to facilitate the implementation of widely accepted or
evidence-based best practices that account for minors of
different ages and address the risks identified under paragraph
(1)(A) and preserve and enhance the benefits identified under
paragraph (1)(B), including best practices with respect to--
(A) age verification, assurance, and estimation
techniques;
(B) design features;
(C) parental tools;
(D) default privacy and account settings;
(E) reporting systems and tools;
(F) third-party safety software services; and
(G) limitations and opt-outs related to
personalized recommendation systems and chatbots.
(d) Stakeholders.--In coordinating with stakeholders under
subsection (c)(1), the Partnership shall coordinate with the following:
(1) Academic experts with specific expertise with respect
to the prevention of risks for minors online.
(2) Researchers with specific expertise with respect to
social media.
(3) Parents and minors with demonstrated experience with
respect to the safety of minors online.
(4) Educators with demonstrated experience with respect to
the safety of minors online.
(5) Online platforms.
(6) Experts in academia and civil society with specific
expertise with respect to constitutional law, privacy, free
expression, access to information, and civil liberties.
(7) State attorneys general (or designees thereof who work
in State or local government).
(e) Sunset.--The Partnership shall terminate on the date that is 5
years after the date on which the Partnership is established.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Design feature.--The term ``design feature''--
(A) means any feature or component of a website,
online service, online application, or mobile
application that encourages an increase in or increases
the frequency of use or time spent by a user who is a
minor with respect to such website, service, or
application; and
(B) includes--
(i) infinite scrolling or auto play;
(ii) rewards or incentives based on
frequency of use or time spent;
(iii) notifications and push alerts;
(iv) badges or other visual award symbols
based on frequency of use or time spent; and
(v) appearance altering filters.
(2) Minor.--The term ``minor'' means an individual who is
under the age of 18.
(3) Parent.--The term ``parent'' means a legal guardian of
a minor.
(4) Parental tool.--The term ``parental tool''--
(A) means a tool that--
(i) a website, online service, online
application, or mobile application provides to
a parent of a user who the service or
application knows is a minor; and
(ii) the parent uses to support such user
with respect to the use of the website,
service, or application; and
(B) includes a tool that allows a parent of a user
who the website, service, or application knows is a
minor to--
(i) view or change the privacy and account
settings of such user;
(ii) grant or withdraw verifiable parental
consent;
(iii) restrict the purchases and financial
transactions of such user;
(iv) view metrics of the total time spent
on such website, service, or application by
such user;
(v) restrict time spent on such website,
service, or application by such user;
(vi) report illegal or harmful conduct on
such website, service, or application with
respect to which such user may be a victim; and
(vii) limit or opt-out of personalized
recommendation systems or chatbots.
(5) Partnership.--The term ``Partnership'' means the Kids
Internet Safety Partnership established under subsection (a).
(6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce.
(7) Verifiable parental consent.--The term ``verifiable
parental consent'' has the meaning given such term in section
1302 of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998
(15 U.S.C. 6501).
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