Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Bill Restricting AI Chatbots for Minors

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the GUARD Act on April 30 by a 22-0 vote. The legislation prohibits companies from offering companion chatbots to anyone under 18 and requires age verification for users. The bill also mandates that chatbots disclose they are not human and imposes penalties for generating sexually explicit material or encouraging self-harm or violence.

An AI companion chatbot is a system designed to simulate ongoing personal or romantic conversation.

The measure would require companies to verify user ages before granting access. It would also direct chatbots to state clearly that conversations are with a machine rather than a person. A spokesperson for Republican Utah Rep. Blake Moore, who introduced the companion bill in the House, said the legislation targets unhealthy emotional reliance on AI systems.

The spokesperson added that an American Psychological Association report found young people are less likely than adults to question information from chatbots.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation said the bill raises privacy and free expression concerns. Senior policy analyst Joe Mullin stated that unclear definitions could lead developers to restrict access to AI tools more broadly. Fairplay, a child advocacy group, said the definition of AI companions should be strengthened to cover more products.

The group also called for rules focused on platform design features that maximize engagement. Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said during committee markup that the issue is a matter of life or death. He added that Congress cannot rely on technology companies to follow an internal conscience.

Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said in an October statement that more than seventy percent of American children use AI products and that chatbots encourage suicide. He stated that Congress has a moral duty to set clear rules. The full Senate has not yet voted on the bill.

Moore's office said work continues in the House Judiciary Committee to schedule a markup for the companion measure.