# Sammy's Law: What It Actually Does

Sammy's Law creates a new system that lets parents and kids use third-party safety apps to monitor and manage what happens on big social media platforms. Think of it like hiring a security guard to watch over your child's social media account and alert you to potential dangers.

Here's how it works in practice: If you're a parent worried about your teenager on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, you could sign up for a third-party safety app (after it gets approved by the Federal Trade Commission). Once your child gives permission, that safety app gets real-time access to see what's happening on their account—who's messaging them, what content they're seeing, and their account settings. The app can then help manage things like privacy settings and alert you if it detects concerning activity like cyberbullying, contact from strangers, or exposure to harmful content. The law specifically mentions protecting kids from dangers like human trafficking, drug distribution, sexual harassment, and violence.

The bill applies only to massive social media platforms—ones with over 100 million monthly users or making more than $1 billion yearly. It doesn't cover smaller platforms, professional networking sites like LinkedIn, or news websites. The law also includes strict rules: safety apps must be U.S.-based companies, they can only use the data to protect kids, they must delete information within 14 days, and they face annual security audits. If a safety app finds serious problems like suicide risk or abuse, it can share that information with parents or authorities. The Federal Trade Commission oversees the whole system and can shut down apps that break the rules.

One important catch: this creates a national standard, meaning states can't create their own conflicting rules about how this works. The law takes effect once the FTC issues guidance on how companies should implement it, which they have 180 days to do.

Sammy’s Law

Wasserman Schultz, Debbie

Sammy’s LawThis bill requires large social media platforms to permit certain providers of safety software to monitor and manage the activity of children under the age of 17 on such platforms.Specifically, large social media platforms must make available a mechanism by which a child or their parent or guardian may permit a provider of safety software to (1) manage the child’s interactions, content, and account settings on the platform; and (2) regularly access the child’s user data.A software provider may only disclose a child’s data under limited circumstances, including to the child’s parent or guardian if the child is experiencing or is at foreseeable risk of experiencing specified harms. Such harms include suicide, eating disorders, sexual abuse, harassment, and academic dishonesty. The provider may only share data necessary for a reasonable parent or caregiver to understand that the child is experiencing or is at risk of harm.To participate, a software provider must register with the Federal Trade Commission, undergo a security review, and demonstrate that, among other requirements, the provider is based in the United States and will use a child's data solely to protect them from harm.Under the bill, a large social media platform is generally a service that enables a child to share content through the internet with other users that the child has become aware of solely through the platform, and which has more than 100 million monthly global active users or generates more than $1 billion in gross annual revenue.