The US Senate unanimously passed COPPA 2.0, the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, marking a significant step toward updating digital privacy laws for minors. The bipartisan bill aims to block platforms from collecting personal data from users under 17 without consent, modernizing the 1998 Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to address current online threats like targeted advertising.

This marks the Senate's latest attempt to pass the legislation, though previous versions have stalled in the House of Representatives. Industry groups like NetChoice, whose members include Google, Meta, TikTok, and Discord, have opposed similar measures, arguing they impose undue burdens on tech companies. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer emphasized the bill's importance for protecting younger users online.

Several states including Utah, California, and Washington have already enacted age verification laws, creating a patchwork of regulations that COPPA 2.0 could help standardize. The bill's approach of empowering teens and parents to control their data, rather than requiring adults to surrender information for internet access, may give it an advantage in ongoing privacy debates.