What Is KOSA? The Kids Online Safety Act Explained (2026 Status)

Quick answer

KOSA, the Kids Online Safety Act, is a federal bill that would give social media platforms a legal duty to prevent and reduce specific harms to minors and to turn on the strongest privacy settings for them by default. As of October 31, 2026 it is not law. The Senate Commerce Committee approved it in August 2026, and the House passed a different package without the duty of care.

Key takeaways

KOSA is a bill, not a law. It has not passed both chambers of Congress.
The Senate passed an earlier version 91–3 in July 2024, but the House never voted on it.
In June 2026 the House passed the KIDS Act, which includes parts of KOSA but drops its “duty of care.”
Families’ injury lawsuits don’t depend on KOSA. They are brought under existing state law.

What KOSA would do

Duty of care: platforms would have to prevent and mitigate specific harms to minors, which supporters describe as online predators, addictive algorithms and harmful product design
Safe defaults: the strongest privacy settings turned on by default for minors
Parental tools: new controls for parents and educators
Oversight: independent audits and access for researchers
Enforcement of the duty of care by the Federal Trade Commission

KOSA’s history in Congress

February 2022: first introduced in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn
July 30, 2024: the Senate passed it 91–3, together with COPPA 2.0, but the House did not bring it to a vote and it expired
May 2025: reintroduced in the Senate as S. 1748
June 29, 2026: the House passed H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, 267–117. It bundles several kids’ safety bills, including parts of KOSA and COPPA 2.0, but leaves out the duty of care
August 5, 2026: the Senate Commerce Committee approved S. 1748 by voice vote
As of October 31, 2026: no Senate floor vote and no final bill. Supporters are pushing for action after the November elections

What the House KIDS Act includes

The House package keeps safe-by-default settings and parental tools, limits features such as infinite scroll, autoplay and notifications for minors, bans targeted advertising to minors and adds rules for AI chatbots. It does not include KOSA’s duty of care, which Senator Blumenthal has said is the heart of the bill. The two chambers would have to agree on one version before it could become law.

The debate

Supporters, including many parents who lost children and groups such as Fairplay, say platforms should have a legal duty to design products safely for kids, and that a bill without that duty is too weak.
Critics, including some civil liberties groups, argue a broad duty of care could lead platforms to remove lawful content, such as LGBTQ resources or eating-disorder recovery content, and push them toward invasive age checks.

What about COPPA 2.0?

COPPA 2.0 would extend federal children’s privacy protections to teens up to 16, ban targeted advertising to kids and teens, and add an “eraser button” to delete a child’s data. The Senate passed it in March 2026, and the House folded it into the KIDS Act. It is not yet law.

What it means for your family today

KOSA would not create a way to sue for past harm or replace the lawsuits already underway. Families whose child was harmed by social media bring individual claims under existing state law, and those cases are moving now: juries in Los Angeles and Santa Fe ruled against Meta in 2026. Every state sets its own filing deadline, so waiting for Congress can cost a family its claim.

Common questions

Is KOSA law yet?

No. As of October 31, 2026, KOSA has not passed both chambers. The Senate Commerce Committee approved it in August 2026, and the House passed a different package, the KIDS Act, in June 2026.

What does KOSA stand for?

The Kids Online Safety Act, a bipartisan federal bill first introduced in 2022 by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn.

What is the duty of care in KOSA?

A legal obligation for platforms to prevent and mitigate specific harms to minors from their design, such as addictive features and exposure to predators. It is the most debated part of the bill.

Would KOSA let parents sue social media companies?

Not directly. The duty of care would be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. Families’ injury claims are brought under existing state law, regardless of KOSA.

Does KOSA require age verification?

The Senate bill focuses on design and default settings rather than requiring ID checks, but critics argue it could push platforms toward age verification. Separate state laws do require it.

Sources

General information, not legal or medical advice. If you are worried about your child’s health, talk to their doctor. Attorney advertising by Grove and Associates PLC; responsible attorney Justin Grove. Results in other cases don’t predict the outcome of yours.