U.S. Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) on June 23 unveiled bipartisan legislation that would establish a comprehensive federal framework to ensure artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot providers prioritize child safety, privacy, and parental empowerment.
The framework proposed in the Safeguarding AI Features to Ensure Kids’ Informed Digital Safety (SAFE KIDS) Act, S. 4855, aims to address growing concerns about kids’ reliance on AI chatbots for emotional support and companionship, said Sen. Curtis, who sponsored the bill alongside lead cosponsor U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA).
“Parents deserve confidence that AI tools are not exposing their children to harmful content, fostering unhealthy emotional dependence, or exploiting their personal information,” Sen. Curtis said. “The SAFE KIDS Act puts common-sense guardrails in place to protect children online while preserving American leadership in innovation.”
The bill would require that AI chatbot providers conduct rigorous, ongoing risk assessments and implement robust safety safeguards before making systems available to children, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Curtis’ staff.
The bill also would prohibit any advertising to child users, as well as all child-targeted behavioral advertising, and ban both the sale or sharing of a child’s personal data without verifiable parental consent, and the generation of sexual deepfakes.
If enacted into law, S. 4855 also would prohibit AI chatbots from mimicking human emotions to isolate children or foster unhealthy emotional dependence, and require providers to build documented protocols that offer immediate external crisis resources and prompt parental notifications if a minor is at risk of imminent harm, including suicidal ideation or self-harm.
Among other provisions, the bill would mandate annual, independent child safety audits to ensure full compliance with the law, with transparency summaries published for the public, the summary says.
“We need clear standards for transparency, accountability, and child safety so families can navigate the opportunities and risks of emerging technologies with confidence,” added Sen. Curtis.
The bill has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
“The SAFE KIDS Act represents a comprehensive bipartisan attempt to protect our children and ensure that their first experiences with this revolutionary technology are free from harm,” said Sen. Schiff.