Sponsors (3)
The bill clarifies which services are treated as social media and mandates an FTC study that could enable stronger youth protections, but it delays immediate action, may leave coverage gaps for some services, and could raise compliance/reporting costs for platforms that may be passed to users.
Tech companies, regulators, and the public get clearer coverage and analysis because the law defines which services count as “social media platforms” and requires the FTC to produce a comprehensive study/report to inform potential regulation.
Children and teens under 17 could gain stronger privacy and advertising protections if the FTC recommends limits on data collection or targeted ads for minors.
Parents and caregivers would receive evidence-based information about how daily social media use relates to youth mental health, improving understanding and decision-making for families.
Children and families may wait up to three years for the FTC study to be completed, delaying any new protections while platforms continue current practices.
Platforms, advertisers, and some apps newly captured by the definitions may face increased compliance costs (from new coverage and potential stricter rules), costs that could be passed to users or advertisers.
Excluding broadband providers and email from the law could create regulatory gaps where hybrid services blur lines, leaving some user communications unprotected or inconsistently regulated.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires the FTC, with HHS input, to study social media use by under-17s (data, algorithms, ads, use, mental health) and report policy recommendations to Congress within three years.
Introduced November 25, 2025 by Cliff Bentz · Last progress November 25, 2025
Requires the Federal Trade Commission, coordinating with the HHS Office for Mental Health and Substance Use, to study how people under age 17 use social media platforms and how platforms collect and use their data. The study must examine algorithms, targeted advertising, daily use patterns, age differences, mental-health effects, and harms or benefits from extended use, and deliver findings and recommended policy options to Congress within three years. The measure exempts the study from the Paperwork Reduction Act and defines which services count as "social media platforms," excluding broadband providers and email.