Fight over Kids Online Safety Act Sparks Debate, as Bill Gains Support in Congress

The Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, is a newly reintroduced legislation aimed at improving the mental health and safety of children by imposing restrictions on tech companies. Although it is gaining support in Congress, civil liberties groups are increasingly opposing it, arguing that the bill would undermine free speech and online privacy protections. 

Under KOSA, platforms would be required to prevent users under 17 from accessing content that promotes harmful behaviors like eating disorders and suicide. They would also need to provide parents with tools to monitor their children’s platform use, including safety settings. Additionally, companies would have to allow independent audits and grant academic researchers access to data to better understand how social media is affecting young people. 

The latest version of KOSA, which was first introduced by Senators Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee last year, specifies the duty of care aspect to only apply to tech companies for harms such as eating disorders, suicide, and data collection. Furthermore, the bill includes explicit protections for support services like suicide help hotlines, schools, and educational software.

“I think our bill is clarified and improved,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said at a press conference Tuesday that also included groups and parents supporting the bill. “We’re not going to solve all of the problems of the world with a sing

[…]
Content was cut in order to protect the source.Please visit the source for the rest of the article.