PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

A bill to amend the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to strengthen protections relating to the online collection, use, and disclosure of personal information of children and minors, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 12, 2019

This bill extends to minors (ages 12–16) privacy protections previously applicable only to children (ages 0–12) and otherwise establishes greater online privacy protections for children and minors.

Specifically, the bill prohibits an operator of a website, online service, online application, or mobile application directed to a child or minor with constructive knowledge the user is a child or minor from collecting the user's personal information without

providing notice and obtaining consent,

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

providing a parent or minor with certain information upon request,

conditioning participation by a user on the provision of personal information,

establishing and maintaining reasonable procedures to protect the personal information collected from users.

The bill also prohibits targeted marketing directed to a child or directed to a minor without the minor's consent.

The bill further outlines a set of principles governing how operators should collect and use personal information, as well as provide information to a parent or minor. A parent or minor must be able to challenge the accuracy of personal information, and an operator must provide for the erasure or correction of inaccurate personal information. Operators must also implement mechanisms for the erasure or elimination of personal information at the request of users and make users aware of such mechanisms.

Moreover, the bill prohibits the sale of internet-connected devices targeted to children and minors unless they meet certain cybersecurity and data security standards, and it requires manufacturers of such devices to display a privacy dashboard detailing how personal information is collected and used.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · D–MA

Committees

  • Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

  2. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.748 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.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.748 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.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.748 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.748 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources