Congress Nears Vote on KIDS Act Mandating Online Age Verification
The KIDS Act mandates federal age checks for online services to protect minors.
Why it matters: Lawyers advising tech firms and privacy regulators must prepare for new federal compliance requirements. The Act preempts state laws, creating a unified legal framework around digital age verification and child safety.
- The KIDS Act merges KOSA with other bills, introduced Dec 2025 by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).
- It mandates age verification for mature content and rigorous controls for minor accounts across online services.
- The Federal Trade Commission will enforce the Act as unfair trade practice violations, with penalties up to $51,000 per violation per day.
- State attorneys general may bring civil actions for injunctions and damages, reinforcing enforcement.
The KIDS Act represents a significant federal effort to mandate age verification for online services, consolidating the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and other related legislation. Introduced by Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) in December 2025, the Act successfully advanced out of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee in March 2026 on a 28-24 party-line vote.
This legislative package requires online platforms to implement mandatory age checks before granting access to mature content and to maintain heightened safeguards for accounts identified as minors. It aims to protect children from exposure to harmful material and aligns enforcement under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as violations would fall under unfair or deceptive trade practices.
Penalties for non-compliance align with the FTC Act framework, which can impose fines up to approximately $51,000 per violation per day. Additionally, state attorneys general have authority to pursue civil actions to seek injunctions, damages, and other relief for residents affected within their jurisdictions.
While proponents like Rep. Erin Houchin and Sen. Jim Banks stress the urgent need to safeguard children online, critics have raised concerns regarding privacy infringement, free speech restrictions, and security risks from mandatory age verification technologies (Gigazine).
The Act also preempts all state-level age verification laws, establishing a uniform federal standard meant to simplify compliance across digital platforms but also shifting significant regulatory responsibilities to federal authorities.
By the numbers:
- 28–24 — House Energy and Commerce subcommittee vote in March 2026 on the KIDS Act.
- February 2022 — Original introduction of KOSA by Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn.
- $51,000 — Approximate maximum FTC civil penalty per violation per day under the KIDS Act enforcement.
Yes, but: Despite bipartisan support, the KIDS Act faces pushback over potential privacy violations and the technological burdens of age verification systems.
What's next: Congress is preparing for a full House vote on the KIDS Act, with advocacy groups and industry stakeholders weighing in ahead of the decision.