Michigan Senate Passes Youth Social Media Restrictions

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2026 – The Michigan Senate passed bills April 29 aimed at restricting social media platforms from using addictive algorithmic feeds for minors and increasing protections around children’s online privacy and artificial intelligence tools. 

Known as the “Kids Over Clicks” package, the bills would create new restrictions on social media recommendation systems, targeted advertising, chatbot access, and children’s data collection practices.

The legislative package includes Senate Bills 757 through 760, and would prohibit social media platforms from providing personal-data-driven feeds to minors unless parental consent is granted.

One of the bills, the SAFE for Kids Act, would prohibit platforms from sending notifications tied to addictive feeds to minors overnight between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and during weekday school hours for much of the year.

The package would establish the Kids Code Act, requiring stricter privacy and safety settings for minors on digital platforms while giving parents greater control over their children’s online accounts.

Platforms would be required to default minors to the highest privacy settings, limit targeted advertising and profiling, and delete personal data collected for age verification immediately after use.

Another measure within the package, the Leading Ethical AI Development, or LEAD for Kids Act, would block children from accessing certain AI companion chatbots deemed capable of encouraging self-harm, illegal activity, or sexually explicit interactions.

The bill would also prohibit chatbot operators from using minors’ personal data to train AI models without written parental consent.

“With this legislation, we’re standing up to massive tech companies and forcing them to put an end to the exploitative, dangerous, addictive feeds they use to keep our kids endlessly scrolling while they make a profit,” said Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, following Senate passage of the bills.

Supporters of the package argued that children face growing risks from social media addiction, targeted advertising, online exploitation, and emotionally manipulative AI chatbots. 

The Michigan Senate Democrats’ campaign page for the legislation cited studies claiming online advertising firms collect an average of 72 million data points on children by age 13 and noted concerns about AI chatbots encouraging harmful behavior among teenagers. 

Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, said parents are increasingly struggling to protect children online as digital platforms and AI systems evolve faster than existing safeguards. 

Under the legislation, the Michigan attorney general could pursue civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation under the SAFE for Kids Act, while violations tied to the Kids Code Act could carry fines of up to $50,000 per violation beginning in 2027. 

The package now heads to the Michigan House Communications and Technology Committee for further consideration.