Jeff Jackson is among dozens of attorneys general urging Congress to reject federal legislation they say would weaken existing child protection laws.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and 43 other state attorneys general are urging Congress to reject federal legislation they say would weaken existing child protection laws rather than strengthen them.
The coalition sent a letter to Congressional leaders opposing the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, H.R. 7757, arguing the bill would preempt stronger state laws while providing minimal protections for children online. Jackson said the legislation would eliminate North Carolina’s existing tech accountability measures and replace them with weaker standards.
“This bill says tech platforms have no legal duty to protect children,” Jackson said. “We already have laws in North Carolina that hold tech companies accountable for harming kids, and this bill would wipe them out and replace them with almost nothing.”
RELATED: NC lawmakers propose bill to require age verification on social media, ban minors under 14 from platforms, AI use in schools
The attorneys general identified several concerns with the federal bill. A section titled “Kids Online Safety” explicitly states that platforms have no legal responsibility to protect children, and another section removes requirements for age verification. The bill would preempt state laws covering social media, online gaming, and AI chatbots while appearing to give state attorneys general enforcement power but reserving federal intervention in those cases.
The legislation’s AI provisions would exempt chat functions considered “incidental” to a platform’s primary purpose, potentially allowing widely used chatbots to escape oversight if attached to larger platforms. The bill would also permit companies to conduct market research on minors.
Jackson has actively pursued tech accountability measures in North Carolina. His office has ongoing lawsuits against Meta and TikTok over alleged harms to minors. In August, he demanded protections against predatory AI products and stronger measures against deepfake imagery. He also formed a bipartisan AI task force with Utah’s attorney general focused on developing safety guidelines for AI developers.
The bipartisan coalition includes attorneys general from states across the political spectrum, representing 44 states and territories total.
For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.
