Sullivan says he will push mental-health ad bill onto Senate youth online safety package

Sen. Dan Sullivan said he will attach his own advertising-transparency bill to a youth online safety package once it reaches the Senate floor. The move would add new federal reporting duties for digital advertising platforms covering the public service ads they run.

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee voted unanimously Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026, to advance four bills on youth online safety, including the Kids Online Safety Act. Sullivan is an original cosponsor of that measure. His office's release describes the bill as providing new safeguards and controls for parents and youth and creating accountability for social media companies by requiring them to mitigate harmful content.

"When this bill comes to the floor, I’ll be working to incorporate my ADS for Mental Health Act, which would provide greater transparency around social media advertising targeting kids and promote mental health resources for users on these platforms," Sullivan said in a statement released by his office.

Sullivan's measure, introduced as S. 414, would require covered digital advertising platforms to file annual reports with the Federal Trade Commission on the number, percentage, estimated dollar value and content focus of public service advertisements. The Senate passed it unanimously in March 2026. Wednesday's committee vote builds on the Senate's July 30, 2024, passage of the related Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act, which cleared with 91 votes. That history makes this week's action a renewed push rather than a wholly new effort.

Alaska lawmakers have pressed Congress on the same subject. Ted Eischeid, presenting House Joint Resolution 28 to the Alaska Senate Education Committee on May 15, said the resolution asks for a certain Senate bill to be passed that would put reasonable guardrails on social media harm for teenagers and younger users.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center and allied groups have argued that added reporting requirements could complicate a package built around platform design harms.

Sullivan's release does not include opposing views. He urged House colleagues to take up the bills.