GUARD Act

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Bill ID: 119/s/3062
Last Updated: August 9, 2026

Sponsored by

Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]

ID: H001089

Follow the money

The bill

GUARD Act

S. 3062, 119th Congress — read as touching Big Tech Platforms.

The sponsor

Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$150,464 raised

24 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Federal Trade Commission" section, p. 908-910 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 406.

May 10, 2026

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the intellectually bankrupt denizens of Congress. The GUARD Act, a bill so breathtakingly stupid, it's a wonder its sponsors didn't trip over their own feet on the way to the podium.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The ostensible purpose of this farce is to protect minors from the scourge of artificial intelligence chatbots that might expose them to "harmful or sexually explicit content." Because, you know, the internet wasn't already a cesspool of filth and corruption. The real objective, of course, is to grandstand on the issue of child safety while lining the pockets of lobbyists and tech industry sycophants.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires AI chatbots to implement "reasonable age verification measures" – a term so vague, it's essentially meaningless. It also defines an "AI companion" as a chatbot that provides "adaptive, human-like responses" and is designed to facilitate "interpersonal or emotional interaction." Because, clearly, the most pressing issue facing our nation is the threat of emotionally manipulative robots. The bill amends existing law by inserting a new chapter on artificial intelligence into the US Code, because who needs consistency or clarity when you can have more bureaucracy?

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: tech companies, social media platforms, and anyone who's ever uttered the phrase "I'm not a minor, I swear." But let's be real, the only stakeholders who truly matter are the politicians and lobbyists who will reap the benefits of this legislative abomination. The rest of us are just along for the ride, forced to endure the inane posturing of our elected officials.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The impact of this bill will be negligible, except for the inevitable unintended consequences that will arise from its poorly crafted provisions. It will likely lead to a cat-and-mouse game between tech companies and regulators, with the former finding creative ways to circumvent the law and the latter pretending to enforce it. Meanwhile, the real issues facing our nation – like, say, the fact that our politicians are corrupt, incompetent, or both – will continue to fester, unchecked.

In conclusion, the GUARD Act is a textbook example of legislative malpractice, a symptom of a deeper disease: the chronic stupidity and corruption that afflicts our political system. It's a bill that promises much but delivers little, except for the opportunity for politicians to preen and posture on the issue of child safety. So, by all means, let's give it a warm welcome – and a healthy dose of skepticism. After all, as the great philosopher once said, "You can't fix stupid, but you can vote it out of office."

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$150,464
24 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$5,464
Committees
$0
Individuals
$145,000

No PAC contributions found

1
R&W TOWING & RECOVERY
1 transaction
$3,300
2
SOUTHERN MISSOURI REAL ESTATE LLC
1 transaction
$1,000
3
ST LOUIS CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP PAC
1 transaction
$914
4
MARK FAUGHN CONSTRUCTION LLC
1 transaction
$250

No committee contributions found

1
SCHELL, MARK CHRISTOPHER
1 transaction
$13,200
2
CARR, GEORGE T.
1 transaction
$12,200
3
RUSSELL, DOUG MR.
1 transaction
$7,400
4
SHELTON, GREGORY P. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
5
WALDEN, MICHAEL
1 transaction
$6,600
6
WILLARD, BRADLEY
1 transaction
$6,600
7
WILLARD, SANDRA
1 transaction
$6,600
8
FISHER, KENNETH L. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
9
FISHER, SHERRILYN
1 transaction
$6,600
10
COOK, JEFFREY MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
11
FRALIN, HEYWOOD MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
12
KUECKER, CAROLYN KAY
1 transaction
$6,600
13
KUECKER, STANLEY J.
1 transaction
$6,600
14
MCKEE, JACK MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
15
RUSSELL, KIM
1 transaction
$6,600
16
ELLIOTT, BEVERLY
1 transaction
$6,600
17
JARED, CURTIS MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
18
COLLAR, MICHAEL
1 transaction
$6,600
19
ROSS, DAVID A. MR.
1 transaction
$6,600
20
ROSS, PATRICIA MS.
1 transaction
$6,600

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 10 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

ID: B001277

Top Contributors

20

1
OLSON, LYNDON
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualWACO, TX
$3,300
Dec 20, 2024
2
ALIX, JAY
ALIX PARTNERS • FOUNDER
IndividualBIRMINGHAM, MI
$3,300
Oct 2, 2023
3
KIM, CHRISTINE M.
BBB LLC • ATTORNEY
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$3,300
Oct 31, 2023
4
ALIX, JAY
ALIX PARTNERS • FOUNDER
IndividualBIRMINGHAM, MI
$3,300
Apr 15, 2024
5
ROURE, RITA
PAGNY - LINCOLN HOSPITAL • PHYSICIAN
IndividualGREENWICH, CT
$3,300
Apr 10, 2024
6
ROURE, RITA
PAGNY - LINCOLN HOSPITAL • PHYSICIAN
IndividualGREENWICH, CT
$3,300
Apr 10, 2024
7
CHAVEZ, TOM
KRUX INC. • CEO
IndividualSAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Jul 13, 2024
8
CHAVEZ, TOM
KRUX INC. • CEO
IndividualSAN FRANCISCO, CA
$3,300
Jul 13, 2024
9
JONES, JERRY C.
LIVERAMP INC. • EXECUTIVE
IndividualLITTLE ROCK, AR
$3,300
Sep 19, 2024
10
NESSEL, ARIEL
NESSEL DEVELOPMENT • OWNER
IndividualROSS, CA
$3,300
Jul 12, 2024

Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL]

ID: B001319

Top Contributors

26

1
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Sep 14, 2023
2
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Oct 11, 2024
3
CHEROKEE NATION
OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK
$2,500
Oct 29, 2024
4
HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP
OrganizationRICHMOND, VA
$1,000
Jul 25, 2024
5
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
May 1, 2024
6
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Nov 9, 2023
7
STRONG, MIRANDA
CALISTA • DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
IndividualANCHORAGE, AK
$5,000
Sep 20, 2023
8
STEPHENS, TYLER
FIERCE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS • LOBBYIST
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$3,300
Jul 1, 2023
9
SINGER, PAUL
ELLIOTT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT • CO-CEO, CO-CIO, PRESIDENT
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$3,300
Jul 6, 2023
10
SINGER, PAUL
ELLIOTT INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT • CO-CEO, CO-CIO, PRESIDENT
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$3,300
Jul 9, 2023

Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]

ID: W000805

Top Contributors

23

1
AMERICAN HEALTHCARE, LLC
OrganizationROANOKE, VA
$5,300
Sep 25, 2024
2
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$600
Sep 28, 2023
3
CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA
OrganizationDURANT, OK
$400
Sep 28, 2023
4
DEKKER, DAVID T.
PILLSBURY • VICE CHAIR
IndividualBETHESDA, MD
$9,900
Dec 31, 2024
5
TULL, THOMAS
TULCO • CEO
IndividualLOS ANGELES, CA
$6,000
Nov 21, 2024
6
SWARTZ, SUSAN
SELF EMPLOYED • ARTIST
IndividualPARK CITY, UT
$3,300
Jul 31, 2023
7
MATNEY, JOHN
RAPOCA ENERGY COMPANY • PARTNER
IndividualBRISTOL, VA
$3,300
Aug 29, 2023
8
MILLONES, PETER
BOOKING HOLDINGS INC. • ATTORNEY
IndividualDARIEN, CT
$3,300
Sep 29, 2023
9
MATNEY, JUSTIN K
SELF EMPLOYED • BUSINESS OWNER
IndividualBRISTOL, VA
$3,300
Aug 29, 2023
10
MATNEY, JOHN
RAPOCA ENERGY COMPANY • PARTNER
IndividualBRISTOL, VA
$3,300
Aug 29, 2023

Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]

ID: M001169

Top Contributors

23

1
MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT TRIBAL NATION
OrganizationMASHANTUCKET, CT
$3,300
Nov 4, 2024
2
SAC & FOX TRIBE OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN IOWA
OrganizationTAMA, IA
$2,500
Nov 5, 2024
3
MOHEGAN TRIBE OF INDIANS OF CONNECTICUT
OrganizationUNCASVILLE, CT
$2,000
Mar 30, 2023
4
MORRILL, WILLIAM
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualSALISBURY, CT
$13,200
Feb 15, 2023
5
REIMERS, LINDSAY
NONE • NONE
IndividualDENVER, CO
$13,200
Feb 27, 2023
6
COGUT, ELLEN FAYE
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualSOUTH KENT, CT
$10,200
Feb 15, 2023
7
CANFIELD, JOHN
BLUEARC.AI • COFOUNDER & CEO
IndividualSAN CARLOS, CA
$6,600
Oct 30, 2023
8
GATES III, WILLIAM H.
BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION • PHILANTHROPIST
IndividualREDMOND, WA
$6,600
Oct 19, 2023
9
GUFF, ANDREW
SIGULER GUFF & COMPANY LP • INVESTOR
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Nov 21, 2023
10
HABER, WILLIAM
SAVE THE CHILDREN • RETIRED
IndividualWESTPORT, CT
$6,600
Oct 11, 2023

Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

ID: K000377

Top Contributors

24

1
PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE
OrganizationTUCSON, AZ
$3,300
Oct 23, 2023
2
THE CHICKASAW NATION
OrganizationADA, OK
$2,500
May 23, 2024
3
GILA RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY
OrganizationSACATON, AZ
$1,000
Jun 15, 2023
4
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Aug 12, 2024
5
CORMIER, STEPHEN
IndividualMANSFIELD, LA
$6,000
Dec 31, 2023
6
LEWIS, PAUL
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualKINGMAN, AZ
$5,000
Oct 23, 2024
7
LEWIS, PAUL
IndividualKINGMAN, AZ
$5,000
Dec 6, 2024
8
BASS, JOSEPH P
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualPORTLAND, OR
$5,000
Mar 29, 2024
9
PEROT, MARGOT B
NOT EMPLOYED • RETIRED
IndividualDALLAS, TX
$5,000
Apr 8, 2024
10
MILLER, JUDITH
IndividualINDIANAPOLIS, IN
$5,000
Sep 11, 2024

Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]

ID: G000574

Top Contributors

70

1
NISQUALLY INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationOLYMPIA, WA
$3,300
Nov 6, 2023
2
SAN MANUEL BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
OrganizationHIGHLAND, CA
$3,300
Dec 27, 2023
3
SUQUAMISH INDIAN TRIBE
OrganizationSUQUAMISH, WA
$3,300
Nov 6, 2023
4
TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION
OrganizationSELLS, AZ
$3,300
Oct 26, 2023
5
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Oct 21, 2024
6
SNOQUALMIE TRIBE
OrganizationSNOQUALMIE, WA
$3,300
Oct 25, 2024
7
VIEJAS BAND OF KUMEYAAY INDIANS
OrganizationALPINE, CA
$3,300
Nov 4, 2024
8
AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS
OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA
$3,300
Jan 8, 2024
9
NOTTAWASEPPI HURON BAND OF THE POTAWATOMI
OrganizationFULTON, MI
$3,300
Mar 26, 2024
10
POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS
OrganizationATMORE, AL
$3,300
Mar 28, 2024

Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]

ID: L000577

Top Contributors

20

1
MACRICOSTAS, GEORGE
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualINCLINE VILLAGE, NV
$13,200
May 14, 2024
2
PFAUTCH, ROY
CIVIC SERVICE • CONSULTANT
IndividualSAINT LOUIS, MO
$9,900
Feb 20, 2024
3
NICOLAISEN, JAMES E
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualPORTLAND, OR
$8,700
Jul 19, 2024
4
METZGER, WILLIAM
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualBOONVILLE, IN
$8,700
Jul 23, 2024
5
S., TINA
SELF • RESTAURANT
IndividualMAUREPAS, LA
$8,700
Sep 10, 2024
6
DE CARLI, JAMES
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualDANA POINT, CA
$8,700
Aug 10, 2024
7
EDWARDS, ZELLA
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualCHAMBERSBURG, PA
$8,700
Sep 10, 2024
8
RICHARDSON, CHERYL
GRANITE SCHOOL DISTRICT • PARAEDUCATOR
IndividualSLC, UT
$8,700
Jul 9, 2024
9
DONADIO, RICHARD
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualDACULA, GA
$8,700
Aug 13, 2024
10
ZALL, MARGIE
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualBOYNTON BEACH, FL
$8,700
Sep 19, 2024

Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]

ID: L000575

Top Contributors

22

1
MUSCOGEE CREEK NATION
OrganizationOKMULGEE, OK
$1,000
Oct 29, 2024
2
HUNTON ANDREWS KURTH LLP
OrganizationRICHMOND, VA
$1,000
Aug 4, 2023
3
SAMPLES, RYAN
SAMPLES GROUP • MANAGEMENT
IndividualOKLAHOMA CITY, OK
$6,600
Aug 30, 2023
4
KAY, ALISON
KIDS CAPITAL • HEDGE FUND MANAGER
IndividualBEVERLY HILLS, CA
$6,600
Jun 20, 2023
5
KANADY, CHRISTIAN
ECHO INVESTMENT CAPITAL, LLC • CEO
IndividualNICHOLS HILLS, OK
$6,600
Jun 10, 2024
6
MANDELBLATT, DANIELLE
RETIRED
IndividualASPEN, CO
$6,600
Jul 31, 2024
7
MANDELBLATT, ERIC
SOROBAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LP • MANAGING PARTNER
IndividualASPEN, CO
$6,600
Jul 31, 2024
8
ROWAN, CAROLYN
CAROLYN ROWAN COLLECTION • OWNER
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
9
ROWAN, MARC J.
APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT • CEO
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$6,600
Sep 30, 2024
10
ARMSTRONG, SINCLAIR WALKER JR.
ARMSTRONG BANK • CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
IndividualVIAN, OK
$6,600
Aug 30, 2023

Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

ID: C001095

Top Contributors

24

1
WINRED
PACARLINGTON, VA
$1,919
Mar 7, 2024
2
CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
OrganizationARKADELPHIA, AR
$600
Mar 4, 2024
3
YELL COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE
OrganizationDARDANELLE, AR
$500
Jan 17, 2024
4
DARDANELLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OrganizationDARDANELLE, AR
$400
Jan 26, 2024
5
RAMSEY, JASON
RAGNAR • MANAGER
IndividualBREVARD, NC
$11,600
Jul 11, 2023
6
KLINGENSTEIN, THOMAS D. MR.
COHEN KLINGENSTEIN LLC • INVESTMENT COUNSELOR
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$11,600
Sep 28, 2023
7
MCINERNEY, THOMAS
BLUFF POINT ASSOCIATES • INVESTOR
IndividualWESTPORT, CT
$11,600
Oct 24, 2023
8
MCMAHON, LINDA E. MRS.
AMERICA FIRST POLICY INSTITUTE • SELF-EMPLOYED
IndividualGREENWICH, CT
$11,600
Oct 31, 2023
9
CHIAPPA, CARL
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualOLD CHATHAM, NY
$11,600
Nov 9, 2023
10
SCHWARZMAN, CHRISTINE
RETIRED • RETIRED
IndividualNEW YORK, NY
$11,600
Jan 11, 2024

Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

ID: W000800

Top Contributors

22

1
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
Jun 8, 2023
2
SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY
OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN
$1,000
May 3, 2024
3
FIELD, MARSHALL
THE OLD MOUNTAIN COMPANY, INC. • EXECUTIVE
IndividualCHICAGO, IL
$3,300
May 18, 2023
4
RECHNITZ, JOAN
IndividualRED BANK, NJ
$3,300
Apr 22, 2024
5
RECHNITZ, JOAN
IndividualRED BANK, NJ
$3,300
Apr 22, 2024
6
GORDON, PATRICIA
SELF • MD
IndividualLOS ANGELES, CA
$3,300
May 22, 2024
7
STILLER, ROBERT
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$3,300
Sep 22, 2024
8
STILLER, ROBERT
NOT EMPLOYED • NOT EMPLOYED
IndividualPALM BEACH, FL
$3,300
Sep 22, 2024
9
KALKUT, CRAIG
WEST FRONT STRATEGIES • GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
IndividualWASHINGTON, DC
$2,500
May 3, 2023
10
SCHWARTZ, MARTIN
MINILEC SERVICE • CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
IndividualCARMEL, CA
$2,000
May 18, 2023

Donor Network - Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 37 nodes and 37 connections

Total contributions: $37

Top Donors - Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO]

Showing top 24 donors by contribution amount

4 Orgs20 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 3 harmed.

  • −Big Tech Platformsconfidence 0.90

    Section 5(b) requires covered entities (any person who makes publicly available an AI chatbot) to implement age verification processes, freeze existing accounts, and periodically re-verify users, imposing compliance costs and operational burdens on companies that deploy AI chatbots, including major tech platforms.

  • Section 5(c) mandates disclosures that AI chatbots are not human and do not provide professional services, which affects AI developers and cloud providers offering such services, requiring reprogramming and ongoing compliance, constituting a regulatory cost.

  • −Telecommunicationsconfidence 0.70

    Telecom companies that offer AI chatbot services (e.g., via customer support apps) would be covered entities under Section 3(3) and must comply with age verification and disclosure requirements in Sections 5 and 5(c), imposing new obligations.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HARMS

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Federal Trade Commission

Strong
Vector: 59%
Pages: 908-910AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the GUARD Act and the Project 2025 FTC policy aim to protect minors from online harms by imposing accountability on entities that interact with children, emphasizing age verification and parental oversight to prevent exploitative or harmful interactions."

Key themes:child online protectionage verificationparental consentregulating platforms/entitiespreventing harmful content

— 875 — Federal Trade Commission Protecting Children Online. The FTC has long protected children in a variety of different contexts. Internet platforms profit from obtaining information from children without parents’ knowledge or consent—and social media’s effect on the well-being of American children is well-documented. Around 2012, American teens experienced a dramatic decline in wellness. Depression, self-harm, suicide attempts, and suicide all increased sharply among U.S. adolescents between 2011 and 2019,16 with similar trends worldwide.17 The increase occurred at the same time that social media use moved from rare to ubiquitous among teens,18 making social media a prime suspect for the sudden rise in mental health issues among teens. In addition, excessive social media use is strongly linked to mental health issues among individuals. Several studies strongly support the notion that social media use is a cause, not just a correlation, of subjective well-being and poor mental health.19 Social media and other large platforms form millions of contracts every year with American children. And even though a minor can void most contracts into which he or she enters, most jurisdictions have laws that hold minors accountable for the benefits received under the contract. Thus, children can make enforceable contracts for which parents could end up bearing responsibility. Targeting chil- dren to create potentially harmful contracts or making parents responsible for such contractual relationships is an unfair trade practice. The FTC, therefore, has the authority, interest, and duty to protect children online from such contractual relationships. l The FTC should examine platforms’ advertising and contract- making with children as a deceptive or unfair trade practice, perhaps requiring written parental consent. Currently, the Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)20 regulates the information internet firms can obtain from children. COPPA fails because it (1) only protects children under the age of 13, leaving older teenagers completely unprotected and (2) only prohibits platforms from collecting information from a child using “actual knowledge” rather than abiding by the “constructive knowledge” standard, which prohibits collecting information from a user reasonably assumed to be underage. The FTC has rulemaking authority under this statute but has done little with this authority, nor can it—given the statutory constraints. However, l The FTC can and should institute unfair trade practices proceedings against entities that enter into contracts with children without parental consent. Personal parental responsibility is, of course, key, but the law must respect, not undermine, lawful parental authority.

Federal Trade Commission

Strong
Vector: 57%
Pages: 908-910AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The GUARD Act’s focus on shielding minors from harmful AI chatbot content through age verification and prohibitions aligns closely with Project 2025’s FTC objective of protecting children online from exploitative contracts, harmful platforms, and inadequate privacy safeguards."

Key themes:child online protectionage verificationharmful content regulationparental consentplatform accountability

— 875 — Federal Trade Commission Protecting Children Online. The FTC has long protected children in a variety of different contexts. Internet platforms profit from obtaining information from children without parents’ knowledge or consent—and social media’s effect on the well-being of American children is well-documented. Around 2012, American teens experienced a dramatic decline in wellness. Depression, self-harm, suicide attempts, and suicide all increased sharply among U.S. adolescents between 2011 and 2019,16 with similar trends worldwide.17 The increase occurred at the same time that social media use moved from rare to ubiquitous among teens,18 making social media a prime suspect for the sudden rise in mental health issues among teens. In addition, excessive social media use is strongly linked to mental health issues among individuals. Several studies strongly support the notion that social media use is a cause, not just a correlation, of subjective well-being and poor mental health.19 Social media and other large platforms form millions of contracts every year with American children. And even though a minor can void most contracts into which he or she enters, most jurisdictions have laws that hold minors accountable for the benefits received under the contract. Thus, children can make enforceable contracts for which parents could end up bearing responsibility. Targeting chil- dren to create potentially harmful contracts or making parents responsible for such contractual relationships is an unfair trade practice. The FTC, therefore, has the authority, interest, and duty to protect children online from such contractual relationships. l The FTC should examine platforms’ advertising and contract- making with children as a deceptive or unfair trade practice, perhaps requiring written parental consent. Currently, the Child Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)20 regulates the information internet firms can obtain from children. COPPA fails because it (1) only protects children under the age of 13, leaving older teenagers completely unprotected and (2) only prohibits platforms from collecting information from a child using “actual knowledge” rather than abiding by the “constructive knowledge” standard, which prohibits collecting information from a user reasonably assumed to be underage. The FTC has rulemaking authority under this statute but has done little with this authority, nor can it—given the statutory constraints. However, l The FTC can and should institute unfair trade practices proceedings against entities that enter into contracts with children without parental consent. Personal parental responsibility is, of course, key, but the law must respect, not undermine, lawful parental authority. — 876 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Other conservatives are more skeptical concerning the effect of online expe- rience on the young, comparing the concern about social media to concern about video games, television, and bicycle safety. They point out, as does Cato fellow Jeffrey A. Singer, that the psychiatric profession has yet to designate “internet addiction” or “social media addiction” as a mental disorder in the authoritative Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).21 These con- servatives also maintain that calling for regulation undermines conservatives’ calls for parental empowerment on education or vaccines as well as personal parenting responsibility. In addition, some of the methods used to regulate children’s internet access pose the risk of unintended harms. For instance, age verification regulations would inevitably increase the amount of data collection involved, increasing privacy con- cerns. Users would have to submit to platforms proof of their age, which raises the risks of data breach or illegitimate data usage by the platforms or bad actors. Limited-government conservatives would prefer the FTC play an educational role instead. That might include best practices or educational programs to empower parents online. Antitrust Enforcement. As is evidenced by a relentless focus on bringing Big Tech lawsuits, state attorneys general (AGs) are far more responsive to their con- stituents than is the FTC. Such a “boots on the ground” approach would benefit the FTC enormously. Practically, this would mean establishing a distinct role in the FTC Chairman’s office focused on state AG cooperation and inviting state AGs to Washington, D.C., to discuss enforcement policy in key sectors under the FTC’s jurisdiction: Big Tech, hospital mergers, supermarket mergers, and so forth. FTC regional offices are substantially more in touch with local issues. Over the past few decades, the reach and influence of regional offices has shrunk dramati- cally. The FTC should consider returning authority to these offices. Some conservatives however are less supportive of this idea. Conservative enthusiasm for the idea of adding regional FTC offices to the states is a break from the majority conservative position. Endorsing the federal government as a pre- mier job creator runs counter to decades of conservative opinion that holds that New Deal agencies and subsequent government bodies should never have been created in the first place, and that their red tape and interference is a dominant cause of economic inefficiency. Republicans used to seethe when Democrats tried to move federal offices into the states. In the early 1990s, House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich fumed about Senator Robert Byrd’s campaign to transfer certain national intelligence facilities to West Virginia, calling it a “pure abuse of power.” Some contributors to this chapter would remind conservatives that the unseen mechanics of redistribution—by which taxpayer money paid to state employees is taken from taxpayers nationwide—is a drag on the economy of the entire country. Many conservatives fear that it would be impossible to uproot or even prune back

Foreword

Strong
Vector: 56%
Pages: 37-39AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The GUARD Act’s focus on shielding minors from harmful AI-generated content, including sexually explicit material, aligns with Project 2025’s emphasis on protecting children from pornographic and sexualized content, curbing Big Tech exploitation, and upholding parental authority over minors’ digital experiences."

Key themes:child protectiononline harmsage verificationparental rightstechnology regulation

— 5 — Foreword (“DEI”), gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensi- tive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights, and any other term used to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists. Pornography, manifested today in the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology and sexualization of children, for instance, is not a political Gordian knot inextricably binding up disparate claims about free speech, property rights, sexual liberation, and child welfare. It has no claim to First Amendment protection. Its purveyors are child predators and misogynistic exploiters of women. Their product is as addictive as any illicit drug and as psychologically destructive as any crime. Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned. Educators and public librarians who purvey it should be classed as registered sex offenders. And telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread should be shuttered. In our schools, the question of parental authority over their children’s education is a simple one: Schools serve parents, not the other way around. That is, of course, the best argument for universal school choice—a goal all conservatives and con- servative Presidents must pursue. But even before we achieve that long-term goal, parents’ rights as their children’s primary educators should be non-negotiable in American schools. States, cities and counties, school boards, union bosses, princi- pals, and teachers who disagree should be immediately cut off from federal funds. The noxious tenets of “critical race theory” and “gender ideology” should be excised from curricula in every public school in the country. These theories poison our children, who are being taught on the one hand to affirm that the color of their skin fundamentally determines their identity and even their moral status while on the other they are taught to deny the very creatureliness that inheres in being human and consists in accepting the givenness of our nature as men or women. Allowing parents or physicians to “reassign” the sex of a minor is child abuse and must end. For public institutions to use taxpayer dollars to declare the superiority or inferiority of certain races, sexes, and religions is a violation of the Constitu- tion and civil rights law and cannot be tolerated by any government anywhere in the country. But the pro-family promises expressed in this book, and central to the next conservative President’s agenda, must go much further than the traditional, narrow definition of “family issues.” Every threat to family stability must be confronted. This resolve should color each of our policies. Consider our approach to Big Tech. The worst of these companies prey on children, like drug dealers, to get them addicted to their mobile apps. Many Silicon Valley executives famously don’t let their own kids have smart phones.2 They nevertheless make billions of dollars addicting other people’s children to theirs. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms are specifically designed to create the digital — 6 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise dependencies that fuel mental illness and anxiety, to fray children’s bonds with their parents and siblings. Federal policy cannot allow this industrial-scale child abuse to continue. Finally, conservatives should gratefully celebrate the greatest pro-family win in a generation: overturning Roe v. Wade, a decision that for five decades made a mockery of our Constitution and facilitated the deaths of tens of millions of unborn children. But the Dobbs decision is just the beginning. Conservatives in the states and in Washington, including in the next conservative Administration, should push as hard as possible to protect the unborn in every jurisdiction in America. In particular, the next conservative President should work with Congress to enact the most robust protections for the unborn that Congress will support while deploying existing federal powers to protect innocent life and vigorously complying with statutory bans on the federal funding of abortion. Conservatives should ardently pursue these pro-life and pro-family policies while recognizing the many women who find themselves in immensely difficult and often tragic situations and the hero- ism of every choice to become a mother. Alternative options to abortion, especially adoption, should receive federal and state support. In summary, the next President has a moral responsibility to lead the nation in restoring a culture of life in America again. PROMISE #2: DISMANTLE THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE AND RETURN SELF-GOVERNANCE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. Of course, the surest way to put the federal government back to work for the American people is to reduce its size and scope back to something resembling the original constitutional intent. Conservatives desire a smaller government not for its own sake, but for the sake of human flourishing. But the Washington Establishment doesn’t want a constitutionally limited government because it means they lose power and are held more accountable by the people who put them in power. Like restoring popular sovereignty, the task of reattaching the federal gov- ernment’s constitutional and democratic tethers calls to mind Ronald Reagan’s observation that “there are no easy answers, but there are simple answers.” In the case of making the federal government smaller, more effective, and accountable, the simple answer is the Constitution itself. The surest proof of this is how strenuously and creatively generations of progressives and many Repub- lican insiders have worked to cut themselves free from the strictures of the 1789 Constitution and subsequent amendments. Consider the federal budget. Under current law, Congress is required to pass a budget—and 12 issue-specific spending bills comporting with it—every single year. The last time Congress did so was in 1996. Congress no longer meaningfully budgets, authorizes, or categorizes spending.

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Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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