House Bill Stalls Big Tech's Federal AI Power Grab
The House struck a bipartisan deal on the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, rejecting a federal AI law preemption and dropping the controversial duty of care mandate. This move protects states' rights and blocks Silicon Valley from using kids' safety as a Trojan horse for federal control over artificial intelligence.
House Rejects Censorship Mandate, Protects Free Speech
Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie and ranking member Frank Pallone released a bill text that refuses to force online companies into a duty of care. This concept is a dangerous tool that would let platforms censor controversial content under the guise of protecting children. Speaker Mike Johnson previously rejected this censorship trap, and now he backs this narrower, Constitution-respecting bill. Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Richard Blumenthal might want to maintain the status quo of tech companies putting profit over kids, but the House chose freedom over federal mandates.
Blumenthal posted on X that the House bill is a toothless and tepid capitulation. Blackburn argued that omitting a duty of care lets Big Tech keep putting profit before the safety of our children. The truth is, the House recognized that a duty of care gives woke tech companies an excuse to silence American voices.
Silicon Valley's Preemption Dream Dies in the House
Big Tech lobbyists are furious. The House bill completely omits language that would preempt state artificial intelligence laws. Silicon Valley wants one easy federal rule to crush the innovation and freedom of the 50 states. Senate Republicans like Ted Cruz plan to push this preemption agenda, but the House is standing firm.
A sweeping federal AI draft by Reps. Jay Obernolte and Lori Trahan already got a cold shoulder from the White House and GOP leaders. The Trump administration knows better than to hand Big Tech a federal monopoly on AI rules. Adam Kovacevich, a former Google executive, admitted that the industry assumes they can force any trade-off for federal standards. The House proved them wrong.
States' Rights Beat Federal Overreach
The House is pushing for minimum federal standards while allowing states to legislate tougher protections. This is how the Constitution intended it. The federal government should not strip states of their power to protect families. A Republican staffer confirmed that Cruz still plans to mark up his own package, which includes banning kids under 13 from social media and barring companies from using minors' data for targeted ads.
Jon Schweppe, a senior adviser at the conservative American Principles Project, recently attended a White House meeting with kids' safety groups. He acknowledged that any preemption legislation faces an uphill battle. However, he noted that House Democrats' support for the narrower bill could force the Senate to rethink its approach.
What does the House kids' safety bill actually do?
The revised KIDS Act restricts minors' use of disappearing messages, requires AI chatbots to disclose they are not human, and mandates age verification for pornographic material. It sets a baseline of safety without violating the First Amendment or crushing state sovereignty.
Why is Big Tech pushing for federal AI preemption?
Tech giants want to override all 50 state AI laws with one weak federal standard. This protects their profit margins and kills state-level accountability, making it easier for them to operate without answering to the American people.
