Crowley proposes Wisconsin chatbot limits for children and lawsuits over AI harms

Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley proposed an 11-point AI and technology safety platform on October 13, 2026, targeting children’s chatbot access and companies that profit from scams. Announced in Milwaukee, the plan would also let families sue AI platforms over content that harms children. These are campaign proposals requiring state legislative action, not new rules taking effect.

Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany. Their AI policy debate since the August primary has largely centered on data-center planning and construction. This proposal turns to the services themselves: access, features on minors’ accounts, harmful content and fraudulent advertising.

Chatbot access, account design and family lawsuits

• Limit AI chatbot app access for children under 13. Crowley also proposed age limits for social media accounts.
• Prohibit addictive features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay on minors’ accounts, targeting service design as well as access.
• Allow families to sue AI platforms over content that harms children, including content that promotes suicide or eating disorders.

Crowley also wants higher penalties for circulating AI-generated sexual images of minors. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that his platform would expand existing penalties for sextortion and AI-generated sexual content shared without consent.

Alongside penalties for scam profits, the platform calls for more funding for adult protective services and resource centers that help fraud victims. Crowley also proposed more money for state agencies investigating online scams.

Wisconsin Public Radio reported a broader advertising proposal: barring companies from using people’s personal data to target them with ads. That would restrict how companies select an advertisement’s audience, rather than address only fraudulent advertisements.

Wisconsin already requires political ads to disclose AI-generated content and makes sharing digitally fabricated nude images without consent a felony. Its laws against child exploitation material also cover AI-generated content.

Access restrictions have faced a different reception. A recent Wisconsin bill imposing age limits on app use did not advance, amid concerns about free speech and privacy.

In a statement, Tiffany said he supports age-verification requirements for app providers, stronger parental-consent protections and greater parental control over children’s online activity. Those positions address child protection but are not an endorsement of Crowley’s specific package.