HR 6499, the Assessing Safety Tools for Parents and Minors Act, directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to review how technology companies promote online safety for minors under 17. The FTC must examine industry efforts like parental controls, age-appropriate content labels, and privacy settings to assess their effectiveness in reducing online harms, consulting with parents, experts, and industry. Within 6 months of enactment, the FTC must begin this review and submit a report to Congress within 3 years, including recommendations for improving online safety. The bill does not create new regulations but requires the FTC to evaluate existing industry practices and provide findings to lawmakers. This review directly affects the FTC and technology companies by mandating their participation in assessing current safety tools.
The SAFE BOTs Act requires chatbot providers to clearly disclose when a chatbot is artificial intelligence (not a human) at the start of interactions and when users ask about its nature. It mandates providers to share crisis hotline resources if a minor mentions suicide or self-harm, and to automatically suggest breaks after 3 hours of continuous use. The law also requires policies to address harmful content like sexual material, gambling, or substance use during interactions with minors (under age 17). Violations are enforced by the FTC as deceptive practices, with states allowed to sue for additional protections.
HR 5173, the "No Social Media at School Act," requires social media companies to block access to their platforms on K-12 school campuses during regular school hours using geofencing technology. This applies to companies operating platforms that collect personal data for advertising or data sales, excluding educational tools, email services, and emergency alerts. The bill prohibits social media companies from needing to collect age data or implement age verification to comply. Enforcement is handled by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, who can sue to block violations or seek damages.
The TERMS Act (S 2010) requires online service providers (like social media platforms, apps, and websites requiring user accounts) to clearly disclose their acceptable use policies and provide advance written notice before restricting user accounts. Specifically, providers must explain prohibited actions, enforcement methods, appeal options, and how outside activities (e.g., social media posts) might lead to account restrictions. They must also publish annual reports detailing how many users were restricted, by what policy violation, and how many appeals succeeded. These requirements aim to increase transparency for users and promote informed choices about online services.
HRES 963 is a non-binding House resolution condemning antisemitism amplified by AI platforms and urging tech companies to implement safeguards. It directly affects AI developers and social media companies by requiring them to adopt transparent safety measures, prevent algorithmic amplification of antisemitic content, and publicly report on antisemitic content prevalence and removal efforts. Key provisions include promoting "safety-by-design" standards, enabling researcher access to study antisemitic content dynamics, and supporting digital literacy programs to counter AI-generated hate. The resolution emphasizes aligning these efforts with constitutional protections while recognizing stakeholders working to combat antisemitism online.
