The GUARDIAN Act would require social media platforms and similar online services to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting or using personal data from children under age 16. The law applies to "covered platforms"—publicly available websites, apps, and services that allow searchable user profiles, facilitate user-generated content sharing, use design features to boost engagement (such as infinite scrolling or notifications), and use personal data for advertising or recommendations. Platforms would need to provide parents with clear notice of data practices and allow them to withdraw consent at any time, which would require the platform to delete the child's account and data within 10 days. The bill includes a narrow exception allowing platforms to temporarily process data solely to verify a user's age. The Federal Trade Commission would enforce the law as an unfair or deceptive practice, and state attorneys general could also bring legal actions on behalf of residents. The legislation would take effect 18 months after enactment and would preempt conflicting state laws, though states could still enforce stronger child privacy protections under their own laws.