The Senate passed a bill that aims to protect children from harmful social media content and seek accountability from tech companies for its effects.

The bill passed 91-3 with hopes that the strong Senate vote will encourage the House to take action before the congressional sessions end in January.

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Senate Pushes for Child Safety Online Act

The bill would require companies to take responsibility for imposing "duty of care" practices for its younger users. This means that social media giants must take action to ensure that their default settings are the safest ones possible for younger audiences.

"Today our children are subjected to a wild west online and our current laws and regulations are insufficient to prevent this," President Joe Biden said. "It is past time to act."

He added that the House should fasten sending the legislation to his office "without delay." The bill seeks to bring control back to children, teens, and parents of their online lives.

Senate Explore Ways to Strengthen Online Protection for Users

If the bill becomes a law, it would mark the first major tech regulation package that moved forward in years. The Senate sees it as a potential stepping stone to creating stronger online privacy laws and other regulations for tech companies.

The child safety bill would force companies to mitigate its controversial effects on children such as bullying, violence, and harassment. Other issues like the promotion of suicide, eating disorders, and sexual exploitation would also be addressed by the law.

Social media platforms could face policy changes that would require them to provide a safer setting for minors. This includes disabling addictive product features, opting out of algorithmic feeds, and limiting communication features.

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