LANSING – Michigan Kids Code Coalition advocates celebrated as the Kids Over Clicks package of youth online safety bills, including the Michigan Kids Code, passed the Senate’s third and final reading with votes of 20–17. The bill now moves to the House, where advocates are urging lawmakers to act with urgency.
“London should be here today – protected, growing, living. She’s not. So now I carry her voice,” said Michigan parent advocate Charay Gadd, whose 12-year-old daughter London died by suicide in 2024. “Today, Michigan chose children over Big Tech, and I am grateful for that courage. But this fight is not finished. The House must act – because every delay risks another child becoming a voice that can no longer speak.”
“I am thrilled that the Michigan Senate is taking the lead on protecting kids’ wellbeing online. Our patients and kids deserve online spaces free from data profiling and manipulative design, as well as the freedom to disengage,” said Dr. Jenny Radesky MD, a University of Michigan Medical School developmental behavioral pediatrician and media researcher.
“Michigan parents applaud the state Senate for putting the health and safety of our kids first, and we urge the House to pass these common-sense safeguards without delay and stand up to greedy Big Tech billionaires who are exploiting children every day so they can make more money,” said Jennifer Tuksal, an Oakland County mother and member of Michigan Parent Alliance for Safe Schools.
“It’s exciting to see the Michigan Senate take this important step to create guardrails for kids’ online experiences. These bills will protect Michigan kids from some of the invasive and disruptive design features that could otherwise cause them harm,” said Elizabeth Hill, MD, a general pediatrician in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
“We applaud the Michigan Senate for challenging Big Tech’s harmful design practices and taking a meaningful step towards ensuring a better online experience for young people. Young Michiganders have fought tirelessly for safer online spaces, and we’re looking forward to seeing this move forward to the House. As our movement continues to gain momentum, we must address the root cause of social media harms, and legislation like the Michigan Kids Code does exactly that,” said Mariella Ma, Michigan State Lead of Design It For Us.
“It’s fantastic to see the Michigan Senate finally take meaningful steps towards enacting much-needed legislation to keep our kids safe online. These bills create long-overdue protections for kids in online spaces and help protect them from Big Tech companies that endanger our kids’ safety for profit. Now that the Senate has taken action I urge the House to do the same,” said James Jandro, Michigan State Director for the Young People’s Alliance.
“As a student and a young person, I’m encouraged to see these bills pass with bipartisan support. This marks an important step forward for young Michiganders, especially children who deserve stronger protections online. It also reflects a growing recognition that big tech must be held accountable and that young people’s voices are being taken seriously especially in the state of Michigan where change is being made and action is being taken,” said the Young People’s Alliance’s Stephanie Iacoban of Romulus, MI.
“By passing this critical legislation, the Michigan Senate has shown they are listening to parents statewide, who are fed up with social media companies exploiting their children’s attention for profit and demanding policies that protect kids from addictive algorithms and dangerous AI chatbots. MAMA is grateful to the Senators who voted to take this bold step for Michigan families, and we look forward to the House following suit to ensure that we keep Michigan kids safe online,” said Sahar Omrani, Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) Chapter Leader in Birmingham, MI.
Last month, Kids Code Coalition advocates testified to the committee in support of the bills, including Michigan parent advocate Charay Gadd, whose 12-year-old daughter London died by suicide in 2024. She was joined by leading medical professionals, policy experts, and youth advocates representing the Michigan Student Turnout Project and the Young People’s Alliance.
Michigan’s Kids Over Clicks legislative package includes:
The Kids Code Act (Senate Bills 758–759), introduced by Senator Kevin Hertel and Senator Stephanie Chang, would mandate stricter data privacy and safety settings for minors by default on digital platforms while also giving parents more control over their children’s online accounts.
The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act (Senate Bill 757), introduced by Senator Darrin Camilleri, would prohibit social media platforms from providing addictive, personal data-driven feeds to minors without parental consent.
The Leading Ethical AI Development (LEAD) for Kids Act (Senate Bill 760), introduced by Senator Dayna Polehanki, would ensure that dangerous AI companion chatbots are inaccessible to children, including those that have the capability to encourage harmful, explicit, or illegal activities.
The bills now head to the Michigan House for further consideration. To learn more about the Michigan Kids Code, visit https://kidscodecoalition.org/michigan/.
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