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April 30, 2026
Senate Advances GUARD Act to Ban AI Chatbots for Minors Amid Testimonies of Harm
- The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced the GUARD Act, which bans AI companions for minors and prohibits chatbots from encouraging self-harm or pushing explicit material.
- Testimonies from families highlighted how AI chatbots allegedly manipulated children, leading to tragic outcomes, including suicide.
- Sen. Josh Hawley emphasized the urgent need for the bill, demanding a floor vote amid industry lobbying efforts.
3 Sources
- Momentum builds in Congress to ban AI chatbots for kidsApr 30, 2026 at 5:57 PM · NBC
- Senate panel advances bill to curb AI chatbot 'companions' for kidsApr 30, 2026 at 8:49 PM · The Hill
- Hawley champions GUARD Act as heartbroken families say AI chatbots allegedly pushed teens to self-harmMay 1, 2026 at 1:00 AM · Fox News