Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA)
What it does
The Kids Off Social Media Act bars platforms from letting under-13s hold accounts and blocks algorithmic recommendations to anyone under 17. The bill says platforms need not build age verification, but you cannot keep a group off a service without working out who they are.
Why it matters
An age ban is only as good as the age checking behind it. A rule aimed at under-13s ends up drawing an age line through the whole user base, and it reaches into how content is shown to teens.
Our take
The no-verification-required clause is cover. You cannot enforce an under-13 ban without deciding how old everyone is, so the real result is age-gated, verified social media, whatever the text claims.
Cosponsors (14)
Ted Cruz (R-TX), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Katie Britt (R-AL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ted Budd (R-NC), Angus King (I-ME)
Committee
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Timeline
- January 28, 2025Introduced
- January 28, 2025Referred to committee
- February 5, 2025Reported by committee
Our coverage: all age-verification stories · Status checked July 20, 2026