House committee approves new social media rules for children
FILE-In this photo illustration, a boy looks at an iPhone screen with social media apps. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
The House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders reached an agreement on legislation requiring social media platforms to provide protections and tools for children and parents.
Social media regulation for younger users has been an ongoing debate among lawmakers, and the bipartisan agreement addresses several issues around this subject.
However, a portion of the agreement doesn’t include a "duty of care" stipulation, which would require social media organizations to create platforms with children’s safety in mind.
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House Democrats and some Senate Republicans have clamored for the "duty of care" provision to be included in any children's online safety legislation, complicating the legislation’s path forward.
Meanwhile, states would be permitted to pass social media legislation that offers more protection than those detailed in the agreement.
The bipartisan agreement also faces some obstacles before it becomes law, like gaining support in the Senate and from President Donald Trump.
State laws for social media
Dig deeper:
Lawmakers have declined to pass legislation regulating social media, leading to states passing their own laws.
Citing the National Conference of State Legislatures, an organization that tracks state bills, Reuters reported that at least 20 states passed laws in 2025 revolving around social media use by children.
Instagram and YouTube found liable in landmark social media trial
Big picture view:
Meta, the parent of Instagram and Facebook, and Google-owned YouTube were found liable in March for designing addictive features after a watershed social media trial in Los Angeles.
The California jury’s decision in March was the first-of-its-kind lawsuit. The plaintiff, known by her initials KGM, alleged she became addicted to social media as a child and that it exacerbated her mental health struggles. A jury sided with her and awarded about $6 million in damages.
RELATED: Social media addiction case against Meta settled by Kentucky school district
According to the Associated Press, the jury determined that Meta and YouTube were negligent in the creation or operation of their respective platforms, and that negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff.
Jurors also determined each company knew their platforms could be dangerous when used by a minor and agreed that they failed to adequately warn of that danger, further contributing to the plaintiff’s harm.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Reuters and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.