119-S-836 Journalist Public Summary
119 · S 836 Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act
Bipartisan bill to update kids’ online privacy rules: extends protections to teens, bans targeted ads to minors, adds deletion and data‑minimization rights; currently waiting for a Senate floor vote after being placed on the calendar on January 27, 2026. (congress.gov)
Headline Summary
A bipartisan update to America’s kids’ privacy law that extends protections to teens and bans targeted ads to anyone under 17; it’s now on the Senate calendar after committee approval on January 27, 2026. (congress.gov)
What It Does
The bill expands the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) beyond children under 13 to cover teens ages 13–16, prohibits individual‑specific (targeted) advertising to children and teens, and gives families stronger control over young people’s data. It requires clear notices, limits what data companies can collect and how long they can keep it, lets parents and teens delete or correct information, expands what counts as “personal information” (like location and biometrics), and clarifies that operators aren’t required to implement age‑verification systems. It also sets guardrails for education‑technology use through school agreements and directs the FTC and GAO to report on enforcement and teen fintech privacy. (congress.gov)
Who’s For It
- Lead sponsors: Sens. Ed Markey (D‑MA) and Bill Cassidy (R‑LA), with a bipartisan slate of cosponsors. (congress.gov)
- Medical and child‑safety groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Common Sense Media, Fairplay, and the Center for Digital Democracy publicly endorse it. (markey.senate.gov)
- Industry: Google publicly endorsed the bill ahead of the June 25, 2025 committee markup. (cassidy.senate.gov)
- Process signal: The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the bill unanimously on June 25, 2025. (cassidy.senate.gov)
Who’s Against It
- Tech industry trade group NetChoice argues COPPA 2.0 (and related measures) could backfire by prompting more data collection for age‑screening and creating new privacy and security risks. (netchoice.org)
- The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) warns a ban on targeted ads to under‑17s could reduce free, kid‑focused services and slow innovation. (itif.org)
What’s Next
Status as of January 27, 2026: Reported by the Senate Commerce Committee with amendments (S. Rept. 119‑99) and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar (Calendar No. 304). Next step would be a Senate floor vote; if it passes, the bill moves to the House. (congress.gov)
Tone
Neutral, factual, and easy to read.
Discussion