The House Passed The KIDS Act—The Senate Should Reject It

The digital rights group EFF is urging the Senate to reject the KIDS Act, a package of internet bills the House passed last week by a vote of two hundred sixty-seven to one hundred seventeen. According to EFF, the legislation—which folds in a revised version of the Kids Online Safety Act—would effectively require websites and apps to verify whether users are under eighteen. The group argues there's no age-check method that is both accurate and privacy-protective: whether it relies on government IDs, biometric scans, or algorithms guessing age from facial images, each approach forces users to link their real identity to their online activity, creating data that can be leaked or hacked. EFF also warns the bill pressures platforms to police lawful speech on topics like gambling and substance use, which it says could sweep up a teen seeking recovery resources. Instead, the organization is calling on Congress to pass a comprehensive privacy law and ban behavioral advertising. The bill's fate in the Senate remains uncertain.

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