NEW JERSEY — U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer announced new bipartisan legislation Thursday aimed at strengthening online protections for children and giving parents more control over their kids’ digital access.
The proposed “Parents Decide Act” would require device makers such as Apple and Google to verify users’ ages during setup and allow parents to set content controls from the start, including limits on social media, apps and artificial intelligence platforms.
The bill would also require that age and parental settings carry over to apps and platforms, creating a consistent standard to prevent children from accessing harmful or explicit content.
“With each passing day, the Internet is becoming more and more treacherous for our kids. We’re not just talking about social media anymore — we’re talking about artificial intelligence and platforms that are shaping how our kids think, feel, and act, often without any real guardrails,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Right now, we expect children to self-police their safety online. That’s not realistic — and it’s not responsible. Parents should decide what apps their kids can download, what content they can see, and how they interact online — not algorithms or tech companies.”
Gottheimer continued, “As a parent, don’t you want the power to decide if your kid should access these apps and how they interact with an AI chatbot? It should be up to you. The bottom line is: parents get to have a final say over what their kids are seeing, not algorithms or tech companies, protecting them from harmful or explicit content. This puts parents back in charge – where you belong.”
Gottheimer continued, “Here’s what I believe: Tech companies shouldn’t be deciding what your kids can or can’t access. It should be parents making that choice. Let’s be honest — the rules we have now don’t work. Parents are often helpless. There are some tools, but they often don’t do the trick, even we want them, too. I have teenage kids.”
“Children are able to bypass age requirements by entering a different birthday and accessing apps without any real verification. Kids can bypass age requirements by simply typing in a different birthday. That’s it. That’s the system,” said Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Yes, they can just lie about their date of birth and access stuff that’s not meant for them, like getting onto TikTok or YouTube before their thirteenth birthday.”
Gottheimer continued, “Parents will get to make the decision up front and won’t be pestered with regular requests and approvals from their children, unless they opt in. True parental choice. And then — this is key — that information, your choice for your kid, flows safely and privately to the apps on that device.”
Gottheimer concluded, “This approach creates a trusted, consistent standard across platforms. The phone – the operating system that controls it – will tell the apps and the AI platforms the limits you set for your kid. It gives parents real control — not buried deep in some settings menu, but right in front of them, where it should be.”
The legislation comes as concerns grow over children’s exposure to harmful content online and the ability of minors to bypass age restrictions by entering false information.
“Okay to Delay fully supports and backs this critical piece of legislation being introduced by Josh Gottheimer. We need to be on top of how quickly and drastically technology is changing, and we must confront that head on,” said Laura Van Zile from Ridgewood Okay to Delay.
Recent data cited by officials shows widespread use of social media among teens, with most adolescents using platforms daily and many younger than 13 maintaining accounts despite age restrictions. Studies also indicate a growing number of teens are interacting with AI chatbots, sometimes discussing serious or sensitive topics.
The proposed measure would require age verification at the device level and ensure parental controls are applied across apps and platforms, aiming to create safer and more consistent online experiences for children.
