Sameer Hinduja argues in Tech Policy Press that general-purpose AI tools differ fundamentally from social media and should not be regulated under the same child-safety framework. He writes that while AI companion apps simulating relationships warrant scrutiny, tools like tutoring or writing assistants lack the interpersonal dynamics that traditionally drive child-safety concerns. Hinduja critiques the federal GUARD Act for defining AI too broadly, arguing it could restrict teens’ access to legitimate educational tools, and proposes six revisions including product-design-based definitions and device-level age verification.
