Arizona AG Kris Mayes Joins Bipartisan Push to Block Federal KIDS Act Over Big Tech Accountability Concerns

Arizona attorney general warns federal bill would strip states of power to hold tech companies responsible

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general opposing a federal bill they say would protect major technology companies from state-level accountability.

The coalition targets HR 7757, known as the KIDS Act, which passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. The attorneys general argue the legislation would federalize cases involving social media harms, obscenity, social gaming platforms, and AI chatbots, effectively preempting state laws designed to protect minors online.

"HR 7757 lets Big Tech off the hook and would hurt the ability of states like Arizona to protect children online," Mayes said in a statement. "The safety of our children is more important than maximizing profits for Big Tech companies and the billionaires who own them."

The duty of care debate

The central dispute centers on whether the federal bill includes a meaningful duty of care requirement for online platforms. A duty of care would require tech companies to reasonably anticipate harm from their products and take steps to prevent it.

Richie Taylor, with the Arizona AG's office, said the House bill drops that requirement entirely.

"We believe it would broadly preempt state laws that address online harm to minors," Taylor said. "It also does not include a meaningful duty of care for online platforms."

Taylor explained that a duty of care standard would force platforms to acknowledge the potential dangers of their services and make active efforts to mitigate those risks.

"A duty of care requirement is for platforms like these big tech companies: to reasonably see the harm that could come from their products, and make efforts to prevent those harms," Taylor said.

A Senate alternative

The coalition of attorneys general is not opposing all federal action on the issue. They support an alternative bill moving through the U.S. Senate. That version carries a similar name but retains the duty of care requirement and preserves states' authority to enforce their own laws.

Taylor said the Senate bill keeps the accountability measures that the House version strips away.

What this means for Arizona

If the House version of the KIDS Act becomes law, Arizona and other states would lose the ability to pursue their own legal actions against tech companies for harms caused to minors online. State attorneys general could no longer bring cases involving social media platforms, gaming services, or AI chatbots under state law.

Mayes' office did not specify whether Arizona has active cases or investigations that would be affected. The attorney general's statement focused on the broader principle of states' rights and consumer protection.

The issue highlights a growing tension between federal regulators and state enforcement officials over who gets to set the rules for the technology industry. Arizona's attorney general is aligning with fellow prosecutors across the country to keep that power at the state level.

"Congress should reject the House bill and demand more accountability," Mayes said.

The Senate version of the bill has not yet been voted on. The outcome will determine whether states like Arizona retain their ability to hold tech companies legally responsible for the impact their platforms have on young users.