Senate Panel Advances Bill to Protect Kids Online

Bipartisan legislation would require mental health warning labels on social media platforms for minors.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:26pm

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A close-up view of a smartphone resting on a wooden table, with the device partially obscured by warm, dramatic lighting and shadows, conveying a sense of contemplation around the mental health impacts of social media technology.As lawmakers seek to address the mental health toll of social media on young users, a new bill would require platforms to display clear warning labels about the potential risks.Washington Today

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has advanced bipartisan legislation led by Senator Katie Britt, R-Ala., that would require social media platforms to display mental health warning labels for users under 18. The Stop the Scroll Act aims to address the harms associated with extensive social media use by minors, including exposure to bullying, harassment, and exploitation.

Why it matters

This legislation comes in the wake of growing public awareness and concern over the mental health impacts of social media on young people. If passed, it would give parents and minors more information and control over the potential risks of using these platforms.

The details

Under the Stop the Scroll Act, social media platforms would be required to display clear and accessible warning labels describing the potential mental health risks for minors. Users under 18 would have to acknowledge these risks before accessing the platform. The labels would also provide mental health resources. The Federal Trade Commission would be responsible for enforcing the law.

  • The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the legislation on April 15, 2026.
  • The bill was previously introduced in the last Congress but did not advance.

The players

Senator Katie Britt

A Republican senator from Alabama who is the lead sponsor of the Stop the Scroll Act.

Senator John Fetterman

A Democratic senator from Pennsylvania who is a cosponsor of the legislation. Fetterman has been vocal about his own mental health struggles.

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee

The Senate panel that advanced the bipartisan legislation.

Federal Trade Commission

The agency that would be responsible for enforcing the proposed law.

Tech Trade Group

A group that sued over a similar state law in Colorado, arguing the warning labels infringe on First Amendment rights.

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What they’re saying

“When you look at the continual elevation of this issue in various ways in the public, whether it be AI chatbots and our young people, sextortion, bullying, et cetera, I think parents are becoming more and more aware, and Americans will demand we do something.”

— Senator Katie Britt

“Those same struggles many of our kids are facing, with plenty of evidence of addiction, anxiety, depression, and suicide rates increasingly directly linked to social media platforms... I know we need laws that protect our children and give them the necessary mental health resources they might need.”

— Senator John Fetterman

What’s next

The Stop the Scroll Act now heads to the full Senate for consideration after being advanced by the Commerce Committee.

The takeaway

This legislation aims to empower parents and minors with more information about the mental health risks of social media use, in an effort to address the growing public concern over the harms these platforms can have on young people's wellbeing.