US Senate Legislation Aims to Protect Children on Social Media

On Tuesday, July 30, the US Senate passed legislation aiming to protect children from the negative effects of social media and internet use. The legislative package, including both the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, passed with overwhelming support, winning 91 to 3. Whether the legislation will get through the House is unclear, although House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as other important representatives have expressed openness to the legislation. 

The Kids Online Safety Act requires that online platforms, including social media sites, implement increased safety measures for minors. The bill also calls for companies to restrict company access to minors’ data, and requires that parental controls be readily available. In an effort to reduce youth screen time, companies would no longer be allowed to use features, such as rewards for time spent on the app and boundaries to deleting an account, to encourage minors to use the platform for longer periods of time, often leading to screen addictions. The bill limits minors’ access to inappropriate advertisements and content, and allows guardians to report any harm directly to the platform.

The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act is an amendment to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. Similar to KOSA, the bill strengthens online privacy and prohibits distribution of minors’ personal information and data, as well as banning targeted advertisements to minors. 

Although the legislative package has received support from most members of Congress, the American Civil Liberties Union, as well as other free speech organizations, have opposed the bills, saying that they “threaten the First Amendment rights of minors” (CNN). Critics of the bills argue that increased protections could be used to suppress important issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, and climate change. 

Stop KOSA, an organization opposing the legislation, argues that because “there is no consensus on what is inappropriate for minors,” the bill will likely be used to censor potentially life saving resources for LGBTQ kids and teens, as well as sexual assault crisis helplines, sex education, abortion access, and resources to help teenagers facing domestic violence and abuse. 

Sources: CNN, Stop KOSA