Laws & Policy
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)
A proposed US law that would require many platforms to use default safety settings, parental tools, and design changes for minors. Not law yet.
As of September 26, 2026, KOSA is not law. Check Congress.gov before you rely on this status.
- Policymakers and staff
- Parents
This is general information, not legal advice.
What parents should know
As of September 26, 2026, KOSA is a proposed US law. It is not a law yet. It would ask many online platforms to give minors safer default settings, tools for parents, and a way to report harm. Congress is still debating the details, including a duty of care that the House bill does not include. Nothing on this page says you should support or oppose it.
On this page
What is KOSA?
The Kids Online Safety Act in the current Congress is S. 1748. Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced it on May 14, 2025. On August 5, 2026, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation ordered the bill reported favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. As of September 26, 2026, the full Senate has not passed it, and it is not law. Status can change. Check Congress.gov before you rely on this paragraph.
The Congress.gov summary of the introduced bill says covered platforms likely to be used by people under 17 would have to provide safeguards for minors. Those include data protections, tools for parents, and a way to report harm. The Federal Trade Commission and states would enforce it. The Senate committee's substitute may differ from the introduced text. Read the latest text on Congress.gov.
A separate House bill, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, H.R. 7757, passed the House on June 29, 2026. The Senate received it and referred it to the Commerce Committee on July 13, 2026. H.R. 7757 includes a subtitle called Kids Online Safety. The Congressional Research Service notes that House versions of KOSA have not included the duty-of-care section that appears in S. 1748. The two bills are not the same, and neither is law.
Why KOSA matters
Families hear KOSA described as the bill that would make platforms safer for minors by default. The live question is which duties would actually be in the final text, and to which products. Default safety settings, parental tools, and reporting tools are in the public debate. A duty of care, which would require platforms to prevent certain foreseeable harms, is in the Senate bill's design and is not in the House subtitle, according to CRS.
Schools and businesses watch the definition of a covered platform, which can reach games, messaging, and video, not only social networks. Whether an AI feature inside a larger product is covered is a drafting question. Counsel should read that definition in the latest text.
This entry describes status and contents. It does not argue for or against passage. If you are using this page in a legislative meeting, re-check Congress.gov the same day. Committee action on August 5, 2026 is not a floor vote.
How it shows up in practice
- A Senate committee advances S. 1748, and the bill still needs a full Senate vote, House agreement, and a presidential signature before it can become law.
- A House package, H.R. 7757, includes kids' online safety language and omits the Senate duty-of-care section, as CRS describes.
- A school leader treats KOSA as a proposal to watch, and keeps using current law, including COPPA for children under 13, for decisions this term.
How HeyOtto helps
As of September 26, 2026, KOSA is not law, so HeyOtto does not claim to comply with it. The product today already lets a parent read chats, set topic limits, and receive real-time safety alerts. Under 13, HeyOtto asks for verifiable parental consent under COPPA, which is current law.
- Parents can read transcripts in the parent dashboard.
- Topic limits and safety alerts are available now, without waiting on a bill.
- There are no ads, and kids' chats are not sold or used to train models.
For families
Try freeFAQs
Is KOSA a law yet?
No. As of September 26, 2026, S. 1748 has been ordered reported by the Senate Commerce Committee and has not passed the Senate. The House passed a different bill, H.R. 7757, on June 29, 2026, and the Senate referred that bill to committee. Neither bill is law. Check Congress.gov for any action after the review date on this page.
What would the Kids Online Safety Act do?
The introduced Senate bill would require many platforms likely to be used by minors under 17 to offer default safeguards, parental tools, and a way to report harm. It includes a duty of care aimed at foreseeable harms. CRS reports that the House kids' online safety text does not include that duty of care. The final duties, if any, depend on the text Congress actually passes.
What is the difference between KOSA and the KIDS Act?
In this Congress, KOSA usually means S. 1748. The KIDS Act is H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, which the House passed. H.R. 7757 contains a Kids Online Safety subtitle and other provisions. CRS says the House approach leaves out KOSA's duty-of-care section. They are related bills, not interchangeable names for one law.
Does KOSA replace COPPA?
No. COPPA is current law for personal information collected from children under 13. KOSA is a pending bill about platform duties to minors, generally discussed as under 17. If KOSA became law, COPPA would still exist unless Congress amended it. Read each text for how it interacts with the other. This is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
Last reviewed September 26, 2026. Law entries are reviewed every quarter.
This is general information, not legal advice.