Markey Introduces Legislation to Protect Children from Privacy and Safety Risks Posed by AI Chatbots

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Washington (March 25, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today introduced theYouth AI Privacy Act, legislation that would require artificial intelligence (AI) companies to implement privacy safeguards in their AI chatbots. In 2025, approximately two-thirds of teenagers reported using AI chatbots, and roughly a quarter reported using them daily. In a couple tragic cases, a teenager died by suicide after encouragement or advice from an AI chatbot.
“AI chatbots pose grave new risks to kids’ privacy and safety, but Big Tech continues to speak only one language: profit,” said Senator Markey. “My bill stops AI companies from using manipulative tricks to keep kids hooked on chatbots, and it imposes critical privacy protections to stop Big Tech from profiting off our young people. Right now, these chatbots can collect a kid’s deepest thoughts, feelings, and fears, and then use that information to keep them coming back. You wouldn’t let a stranger do that to your child. A chatbot shouldn’t get to either. MyYouth AI Privacy Actwill stop this exploitative behavior and protect children from the growing dangers of AI chatbots.”
Emerging evidence clearly suggests that minors are especially vulnerable to the harms of AI chatbots, particularly as companies introduce increasingly manipulative design features and rely on large amounts of children’s personal data. TheYouth AI Privacy Actwould set new privacy standards for these systems, curb the business incentives that drive harmful design choices, and address the ways Big Tech has engineered chatbots to encourage compulsive use among young people.
TheYouth AI Privacy Actwould establish:
Senator Markey continues to demand transparency from AI companies about their deployment of AI chatbots. Most recently in January, Senator Markeywroteto seven major tech companies—OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Snap Inc., and xAI—urging details on how the companies will protect their users from manipulation and exploitation if the companies plan to integrate advertising into their AI chatbots.
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