The Safe Social Media Act directs the Federal Trade Commission to study how social media platforms use data from individuals under 17. The study will examine what personal information is collected, how algorithms use that data, and how targeted advertising operates for teens.
It also looks at how often teens use platforms, differences by age, and potential mental health effects and benefits from extended use. The commission must submit a comprehensive report to Congress within three years that includes findings and any policy recommendations.
The act defines social media platforms and excludes certain services, and it provides a narrowly scoped exemption from the Paperwork Reduction Act to facilitate the study.
At a Glance
What It Does
The FTC, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use), will conduct a study on social media use by individuals under 17, covering data collection, algorithmic use, ad targeting, usage frequency, age-related differences, and mental health impacts, with a final report due within three years.
Who It Affects
Directly affects social media platforms with minor users, the FTC and HHS as the coordinating agencies, and policymakers who rely on this data to shape privacy and youth wellbeing policy; teens and their parents are the indirect beneficiaries through improved privacy safeguards and understanding of data practices.
Why It Matters
This bill seeks to illuminate how teen data is collected and used, how algorithms influence teen experiences, and what mental health effects may follow, providing evidence for potential safeguards and policy actions.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The Safe Social Media Act requires the Federal Trade Commission to study social media use by people under 17. The study will look at what personal data platforms collect about minors, how that data is used by algorithms, and how it informs targeted advertising.
It will also examine how often teens use social media, differences in use by age, and any mental health effects or benefits tied to extended platform use. The FTC will coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services, via the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to carry out the study.
A final report with findings and potential policy implications must be submitted to Congress within three years after enactment. The act also defines what counts as a social media platform and excludes broadband providers and email from that definition, and it includes a limited exemption from the Paperwork Reduction Act to support the study.
The language is purposely scoped to study rather than regulate, focusing on collecting and analyzing data rather than imposing new platform requirements today. The outcome is intended to equip lawmakers with evidence to consider future privacy protections or youth-focused safeguards grounded in the study’s results.Because the act relies on federal agencies and public data,” the emphasis is on transparency, accountability, and informed policymaking rather than immediate regulatory enforcement.
The defining features and exclusions establish a clear boundary for what platforms fall under the study and what does not, helping to avoid unnecessary regulatory overlap with unrelated services.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill requires the FTC to conduct a comprehensive study of teen social media data practices.
The study will analyze data collection, algorithmic use, targeted advertising, and teen usage patterns.
Coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services is required through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.
A report detailing findings and policy recommendations must be submitted to Congress within three years of enactment.
The Act defines social media platforms and excludes broadband access providers and email services; PRA rules are temporarily exempted for this section.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Short title
This section designates the act as the Safe Social Media Act. It establishes the purposes and scope of the bill, signaling a focus on studying minors’ data practices and mental health implications rather than imposing immediate regulatory requirements on platforms.
FTC study on teen social media use
The Federal Trade Commission, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use), shall conduct a study on social media platform use by individuals younger than 17. The study will examine what personal information is collected, how it is used by platform algorithms, how it informs targeted advertising, daily usage patterns, age-related differences, and potential mental health effects and benefits.
Exemption from PRA
Subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (the Paperwork Reduction Act) shall not apply to this section, to facilitate timely data collection and analysis for the study.
Definition of social media platform
The act defines a social media platform as a public-facing website or app that primarily provides a forum for user-generated content. Exclusions include providers of broadband internet access service and electronic mail services, clarifying what entities the study will cover.
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Explore Privacy in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- Teens under 17 gain a clearer picture of how their data is collected and used, supporting privacy protections and informed decision-making by guardians.
- Parents and guardians gain visibility into platform practices affecting their children.
- Researchers and policymakers obtain a rigorous data foundation to assess mental health and wellbeing implications.
- The FTC and HHS enhance federal capacity to monitor data practices and inform future policy.
- Privacy advocates and technologists receive concrete evidence to push for meaningful safeguards.
Who Bears the Cost
- Large social media platforms with under-17 user bases bear data-sharing and participation costs for the study.
- The FTC and, to a lesser extent, the HHS incur ongoing administrative and analytical costs to design, oversee, and report on the study.
- Contractors, researchers, or analytic teams engaged by the FTC may incur project costs for data analysis and reporting.
- General taxpayers could bear indirect costs associated with federal workload and potential funding requirements for the agencies.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
Balancing the imperative to obtain timely, actionable data on teen data practices and mental health with the need to protect privacy and minimize regulatory burdens on platforms and the government.
The bill foregrounds the need for empirical data on how teen data practices affect privacy and mental health, but it raises practical questions about data availability, platform cooperation, and the privacy of any individuals involved in the study. Implementing a rigorous, representative assessment of minor users’ experiences will require careful handling of sensitive information and robust privacy protections.
There is also a trade-off between rapid data collection and the depth of analysis that the study aspires to deliver, which could influence the scope and timeline of the final report.
Moreover, while the PRA exemption accelerates data gathering, it invites scrutiny about regulatory overreach and the sustainability of ongoing federal review efforts. The central tension is balancing the public interest in evidence-based policy with the operational and privacy costs borne by platforms and the public alike, plus the challenge of translating descriptive findings into concrete regulatory actions without narrowing beneficial uses of social media for youths.
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