The GUARD Act, introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley, aims to protect minors from AI chatbots but has sparked criticism over potential First Amendment violations and privacy risks. The bill mandates age verification using real-world identifiers, such as financial records or government-issued documents, to access AI companions, effectively creating a surveillance infrastructure. Critics, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, argue that this requirement infringes on privacy and could limit access to digital tools for both minors and adults. The legislation's broad definition of "AI companions" and strict age verification measures have raised concerns about over-compliance by developers, potentially restricting access to educational and mental health tools. The act's requirement for identity-linked data collection poses risks of data breaches and could disproportionately impact smaller companies unable to bear the compliance costs. The debate continues as the bill's implementation could affect a wide range of AI interactions.