PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 108.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 28, 2025
Kids Off Social Media Act
This bill limits children’s access to social media platforms and requires both platforms and schools to implement certain restrictions on children’s social media usage.
Specifically, the bill prohibits social media platforms from knowingly allowing children under the age of 13 to create or maintain accounts. Platforms must delete existing accounts held by children and any personal data collected from child users. Platforms are also generally prohibited from using automated systems to suggest or promote content based on personal data collected from users under the age of 17. The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to enforce these provisions. States may also bring civil actions against platforms whose violations of these provisions have adversely affected their residents.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Further, as a condition of receiving discounted telecommunications service under the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support (E-Rate) program, schools must enforce policies preventing the use of E-Rate-supported services, networks, and devices to access social media, and must use blocking or filtering technology to prevent such access. Schools that do not make a good faith effort to comply and correct known violations are required to reimburse any E-Rate support they received for the applicable period. Schools must also submit copies of their internet safety policies to the Federal Communications Commission for publication.
Under the bill, social media platforms are defined as public-facing sites that function primarily as forums for user-generated content. Some categories of online platforms are explicitly excluded, including sites that provide primarily videoconferencing, emailing, or educational services.
People & committees
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] · D–HI
Legislative record
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 108.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-33.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-33.
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze S.278 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine S.278 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
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