Common Sense Media Statement on the KIDS Act and Privacy Legislation Unveiled by the House Energy and Commerce Committee
WASHINGTON, March 4, 2026—Common Sense Media Chief Advocacy Officer Danny Weiss issued the following statement on kids' online safety and privacy legislation unveiled late Tuesday night, to be considered as soon as Thursday by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee:
"Common Sense Media appreciates the time and effort that Chairman Guthrie and his staff have put into working on kids' online safety and privacy issues this Congress, including making some improvements to the version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) the Committee proposed last year. Americans of all political stripes have registered deep concern about the need to protect children from the mental and physical harms related to social media and artificial intelligence. They expect Congress to act.
"Given these important concerns, however, we are disappointed by the legislative text for the KIDS Act and a children's privacy bill update, COPPA 2.0, released Tuesday night, and we look forward to working with the Chairman and the Committee to strengthen the legislation, make it more bipartisan, and place greater onus on the tech companies and reduce some of the burden placed on parents.
"Almost two years ago, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed, by a vote of 91-3, strong kids' online safety and privacy legislation that held tech companies accountable and protected the rights of the states to enact and enforce their own laws, leaving ample time for the House to act. That legislation continues to be a superior product for protecting kids' health, safety, and privacy, and one that we would hope the House would align with more closely.
"Making the internet healthier and safer for all kids could not be a more important issue for Congress to get right, and we look forward to adding our expertise to this process."
About Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the age of apps, algorithms, and AI. We rate, educate, and advocate to protect and prepare kids online. Our ratings, research, and resources reach more than 150 million users globally, over 1.4 million educators, and more than 100,000 schools worldwide every year. Learn more at commonsense.org.