WASHINGTON — A bipartisan House deal on children’s online safety legislation is complicating efforts to advance broader artificial intelligence regulation in Congress, lawmakers and aides said.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Monday unveiled the agreement on a package that includes provisions affecting platforms and AI tools interacting with minors. The measure has become a key sticking point in negotiations over comprehensive AI legislation, as the House and Senate differ on key elements.
The House proposal, backed by Chairman Brett Guthrie, a Republican from Kentucky, and ranking member Frank Pallone, a Democrat from New Jersey, omits a “duty of care” requirement for platforms to design services with children’s safety in mind. It also does not include language preempting state AI laws, a priority for some tech industry stakeholders.
In contrast, Senate discussions have featured stronger measures, including aspects of the Kids Online Safety Act. The divergence has made child safety provisions a linchpin for any larger AI bill this year.
The House package includes requirements for age verification on certain sites, safety defaults for minors, restrictions on targeted advertising to children, and disclosures that AI chatbots are not human. It updates elements of existing laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.
“Keeping kids safe online has become the linchpin to getting an artificial intelligence bill done in Washington,” one report summarized the situation. Details on how the chambers will reconcile their approaches remained subject to further negotiations.
Industry groups and privacy advocates have raised concerns about potential impacts, including age verification mandates that could involve data collection. Supporters emphasize the need to protect minors from harmful content and features on platforms and AI systems.
The developments follow years of bipartisan focus on children’s online safety amid growing scrutiny of social media, algorithms and emerging AI chatbots. Separate state-level efforts have also targeted AI companion tools.
As of Tuesday, the House bill was advancing toward potential floor consideration, while Senate AI and safety talks continued. Exact timelines for any combined legislation or further committee action were not specified. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed a desire to address the issues but acknowledged the complexities involved.
