U.S. Push for Stronger Child Online Safety Gains Momentum

On June 23, 2026, Washington held Social Media Victims Remembrance Day, honoring two teens—Carson Bride (16) and Alexander Neville (14)—who died after online harms, and 270 other young victims. Their mothers, Kristin Bride and Amy Neville, have built a national advocacy network that pushes legislation, litigation and education.

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

Congress introduced the bipartisan Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, borrowing from the 2024 Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) but dropping its “duty of care” provision. Lawmakers cite Section 230 as a barrier to liability. Advocates include Kristin Bride, Amy Neville, and Matthew Bergman (director of the Social Media Victims Law Center). Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) warned profit will trump safety without duty of care; Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) backs Section 230 repeal; Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) urged a “fight like hell for the living.”

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Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Indonesia ban users under 15-16 from TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, while the U.S. relies only on the 2000 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act for under-13 data consent.

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

Key data: 270 youth deaths honored in 2026; two jury verdicts against Meta and one against Google in early 2026; four countries with under-16 bans; >1,000 plaintiffs represented by the Social Media Victims Law Center. Timeline highlights: 2020 – deaths of the two teens; 2024 – Senate passes KOSA; 2026 – jury verdicts and House bill; July 2026 – Senate Judiciary hearing.

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Advocates cite research linking social-media use to higher rates of cyberbullying, drug-related deaths and adolescent mental-health crises. Without a duty of care, platform designs that prioritize engagement may place profit above child safety.

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

Industry spokespeople argue that private teen accounts, PG-13 filters and supervised YouTube settings already mitigate risk; Snap pledged ongoing safety improvements. Critics warn additional regulation could curb innovation and limit free expression.

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

• “Moving forward for me, it’s this groundswell. We now have the court of public opinion on our side, and that is powerful. That has brought things to the next level,” — Amy Neville, mother of Alexander Neville

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

• “It is still a hurdle, but it is no longer a barrier,” — Matthew Bergman, director of the Social Media Victims Law Center

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

• “Without a duty of care, Big Tech companies will maintain the status quo of putting profit before the safety of our children,” — Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-TN

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

• “It’s the same reason that the companies want the kids online, want their privacy destroyed, want all their information — it’s money,” — Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO

The US lags other countries in social media restrictions for kids, but a reform push is growing

The July 2026 Senate Judiciary hearing will question CEOs on design-related harms; lawmakers may restore a duty-of-care clause, and advocacy groups plan expanded education and further lawsuits before the next congressional session.

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