Attorneys General Push Congress to Pass Kids Online Safety Act

Bipartisan coalition urges federal legislation to protect children from online harms

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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A bipartisan coalition of 40 state Attorneys General, including Pennsylvania's Dave Sunday and Maryland's Anthony Brown, have called on Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) to safeguard children from online dangers. The Attorneys General cited their own state-level efforts to combat issues like the use of AI to generate child sexual abuse material, and emphasized the urgent need for federal action as scrutiny of social media companies intensifies.

Why it matters

The Attorneys General argue that federal legislation like KOSA is necessary to address the well-documented harms that extended social media use can have on children and teens, which are known to the tech companies themselves. This push for federal action comes as many state AG offices have launched investigations and lawsuits against major platforms like Meta and TikTok over their targeting of underage users.

The details

The letter from the Attorneys General expressed support for the Senate version of KOSA, S. 1748, which includes a Duty of Care requirement while preserving states' authority to enforce and strengthen online protections for minors. This is in contrast to the House version, H.R. 6484, which the AGs say would limit states' ability to act. The Pennsylvania AG's office has already filed charges under a new state law prohibiting the use of AI to generate child sexual abuse material, and has led multistate efforts pressing tech companies on issues like chatbot quality control.

  • The letter from the 40 Attorneys General was circulated to Congressional leadership in advance of potential consideration of the House version of KOSA.
  • Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has been personally involved in state-level efforts to combat online harms to children.

The players

Dave Sunday

The Attorney General of Pennsylvania, who has filed charges under a new state law prohibiting the use of AI to generate child sexual abuse material and has led multistate efforts pressing tech companies on online safety issues.

Anthony Brown

The Attorney General of Maryland, who joined the bipartisan coalition of 40 Attorneys General urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act.

Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)

Federal legislation that aims to protect children from online harms, with the Senate version (S. 1748) preserving states' authority to enforce and strengthen online protections for minors.

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What they’re saying

“I am personally aware of the very real dangers children face online every single day, and am proud to say the great work we have done at the state level has only just begun.”

— Dave Sunday, Attorney General of Pennsylvania (tristatealert.com)

“As a father, I understand why this issue matters so much to parents and families. It is well-documented — and known to social media companies — that extended use of social media is harmful. Parents deserve to know they have a strong advocate willing and able to act quickly as new threats emerge. Congress has an opportunity – and a responsibility – to put children first.”

— Dave Sunday, Attorney General of Pennsylvania (tristatealert.com)

What’s next

The House version of the Kids Online Safety Act, H.R. 6484, is expected to be considered by Congress in the coming weeks, with the Attorneys General urging leadership to instead pass the Senate version, S. 1748, which preserves states' authority.

The takeaway

This bipartisan push by state Attorneys General underscores the growing urgency to address the well-documented harms that extended social media use can have on children and teens. With many state AG offices already taking action, federal legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act represents an opportunity for Congress to put the protection of minors first.