Attorney General Kris Mayes (D-AZ) has signed on to a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from more than 40 states and territories opposing a federal bill they say would do more harm than good in protecting children online.
The coalition is pushing back against the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, known as the KIDS Act, a House bill they argue would strip states of their ability to enforce their own child protection laws while giving major technology companies a shield from legal accountability.
The focus is the bill's broad preemption language, which critics say would override existing and future state laws targeting online harms to minors, from social media and obscene content to gaming platforms and AI chatbots.
"H.R. 7757 lets Big Tech off the hook and would hurt the ability of states like Arizona to protect children online," AG Mayes said in a press release. "The safety of our children is more important than maximizing profits for Big Tech companies and the billionaires who own them."
Rather than scrapping federal legislation altogether, the coalition is backing the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act, which includes a "duty of care" provision.
That language would require online platforms to act in the best interests of minors, something the House bill lacks, while still allowing states to pursue their own, stronger protections.
The letter arrives as attorneys general across the country are already engaged in active investigations and lawsuits against platforms, including Meta and TikTok, over allegations that their products deliberately target and harm underage users.
Mayes pointed to the rapid rise of AI chatbots as a reason to push for stronger, not weaker, oversight. "The safety of our children online is not negotiable," she said.
