House Energy & Commerce Committee’s language of COPPA 2.0 (introduced as H.R. 6291) contains disastrous, vague preemption, and a weakened knowledge standard.

Design It For Us Co-Chair Zamaan Qureshi released the following statement:

“We are deeply disappointed by the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) language recently introduced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Young people have spent years pushing for meaningful online protections, including advocating for COPPA 2.0 alongside Sens. Markey and Cassidy and Reps. Castor and Walberg, but H.R. 6291 is far from what this crisis demands. In fact, it sets us backwards.

We’ve supported modernizing and updating COPPA; however, this version is toothless. Instead of strengthening safeguards for young people, the bill’s structure undermines the protections we have fought for.

Most concerning:

  • The bill’s preemption language could wipe out strong state-level protections and nullify any state law “relating to” COPPA’s provisions. This would include the Age-Appropriate Design Codes (AADC) we have advocated for in Maryland, Nebraska, Vermont, and California. Stripping states of the ability to protect young people is unacceptable. 
  • The bill’s weakened knowledge standard allows companies to disregard the very children using their products, failing to guarantee them safe experiences. This lets companies escape accountability while young users remain exposed in unsafe online spaces.
  • This most recent version does not reflect the needs, experiences, or demands of young people, and it abandons the progress made in earlier bipartisan efforts to protect minors online.

“We urge members of Congress to restore the stronger Senate COPPA 2.0 language, which better protects young people online in navigating digital spaces. Design It For Us will continue to fight for laws that center young voices and deliver real, enforceable protections. We are not going to accept industry carve-outs disguised as reform. Young people deserve better, so Congress must do better.”

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About Design It For Us

Design It For Us is a youth-led coalition of young people, activists, and leaders that aims to achieve policy reforms to protect kids, teens, and young adults online. The coalition is led by two Co-Chairs and a team of Program Leads between the ages of 18 and 26. The coalition is also supported by an array of youth-led organizations, staff, and advisors.