Congress moves to ban social media from profiling and manipulating children
H.R. 6273 — SPY Kids Act · Filed by Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) · Introduced Nov 21, 2025 · Markup held
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What it does
This bill prohibits social media platforms from conducting market research or product testing on children under 13, and requires parental consent before doing so on teens aged 13–16. Platforms must stop using design features (infinite scroll, notifications, reward badges, filters) that are engineered to maximize engagement time on children and teens. The FTC and state attorneys general enforce violations as unfair trade practices.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a direct prohibition on commercial research and engagement-maximizing design targeting minors, enforced by the FTC and state AGs. It is a consumer-protection measure, not a tax, subsidy, or commemorative act.
What the text implies
- The definition of 'design feature' is broad and may capture features platforms argue serve non-engagement purposes (e.g., notifications for safety alerts, badges for educational milestones). Litigation risk is high.
- The 90-day implementation window is tight for platforms to audit and redesign systems; compliance costs may be substantial and unevenly distributed across smaller vs. large platforms.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Ordinary people—especially parents and children—gain protection from predatory engagement design and commercial profiling. Platforms lose the ability to conduct behavioral research on minors without consent, reducing data harvesting and algorithmic manipulation targeting young users.