On Wednesday, August 6th, 2026, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted on five bills focused on online safety and artificial intelligence, including the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net (SCREEN) Act and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).

The SCREEN Act, introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R–Utah), seeks to require pornography websites to block minors through stringent age verification measures, including IP address verification. The bill argues that "shielding minors from access to online pornographic content is a compelling government interest" and claims its measures are the "least restrictive means for Congress" to achieve this goal. However, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) warned that such verification would "force millions of adult internet users to give up their anonymity, privacy, and security before they access lawful speech."

Despite these privacy concerns, a majority of the committee voted in favor of the SCREEN Act, though it did not advance due to lack of quorum.

KOSA, which has been under consideration since 2022, mandates that "covered online platforms" such as social media sites and video streaming services implement tools and safeguards to protect users under the age of 17. Free speech advocates have expressed concerns that KOSA could threaten online privacy and freedom.

Additionally, the committee advanced a bill requiring users under 18 to obtain parental consent before using chatbots, alongside another bill mandating AI companies to implement critical privacy safeguards for chatbots.

Representative Ruben Gallego (D–Ariz.) introduced the Parental Approval for Youth Social Media Act, which would require social media platforms to obtain parental consent for children creating or maintaining accounts. The bill also mandates platforms to verify users' ages and parental authorization before allowing minors access. Gallego cited France's ban on social media use for children under 15 as inspiration for the legislation.

The bills reflect a bipartisan effort to enhance online safety for minors but have raised significant debate over the balance between protection and internet freedom.

Sources