Attorney General James Joins Bipartisan Coalition Opposing Federal Legislation that Would Weaken State Protections for Children Online

May 26, 2026

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a bipartisan coalition of 44 other attorneys general in urging Congress to reject the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), arguing the bill would weaken states' ability to protect children online and shield big tech companies from accountability. In a letter to Congressional leadership, Attorney General James and the coalition warn that the KIDS Act would prevent states from addressing online threats to minors, including from social media, social gaming platforms, and artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. The coalition is calling on Congress to reject the KIDS Act and instead pass the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).

"Online platforms are fueling a mental health crisis among young people, and New York has led the way to enact new measures to protect our kids," said Attorney General James. "The KIDS Act would strip states of their ability to protect our children online. I am proud to join a bipartisan coalition of my fellow attorneys general in sending a clear message to Congress: the KIDS Act should not become law."

In 2024, New York enacted nation-leading legislation championed by Attorney General James to combat addictive social media feeds and protect kids online. The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) For Kids Act requires social media companies to restrict addictive feeds on their platforms for users under 18. The New York Child Data Protection Act prohibits online sites from collecting, using, sharing, or selling the personal data of anyone under the age of 18, unless they receive informed consent or unless doing so is strictly necessary for the purpose of the website.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the KIDS Act would preempt state laws that address critical safety measures concerning online obscenity, online harms to children, social gaming platforms, and AI chatbots. This sweeping federal preemption would also severely restrict states' abilities to pass new laws to protect children online and limit the power of attorneys general to enforce state laws. The coalition instead urges Congress to pass KOSA, which includes a key provision requiring online platforms to act in the best interests of minors while preserving states' authority to enforce stronger protections for children and teens.

Attorney General James has been a leader in efforts to protect children online. In addition to advancing legislation, Attorney General James has filed lawsuits against TikTok and Meta for harming children online. In February 2026, Attorney General James sued game developer Valve for promoting gambling through its video games that are popular with children and teens. In September 2024, Attorney General James co-led a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general in urging Congress to implement warning labels on social media platforms as called for by the United States Surgeon General.

Joining Attorney General James in sending the letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.