New anti-tech child protection bills on route to become law

Kids face numerous threats on the digital playground called the Internet – it's a wild world! That's why the bills COPPA 2.0 and KOSA are introduced to the Senate for a vote with the goal of bringing a fresh wave of protection to the internet's youngest surfers.

The US Senate is poised to vote on significant online child safety reforms. However, the legislation's future remains uncertain in the House of Representatives, where it has received mixed reactions from the tech industry, a recent report from Reuters reads.

Last week, the Senate gave bipartisan approval to the bills in a procedural vote, with 86 senators in favor and only one against. The Senate is narrowly controlled by Democrats with a 51-49 majority, while the House has a 220-212 Republican majority.

The proposed reforms include two bills: the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). For these bills to become law, they must also pass in the Republican-controlled House, which is currently in recess until September.

What's it all about?

COPPA 2.0 aims to prohibit targeted advertising and data collection from minors without their consent, and it provides parents and children with the ability to delete their information from social media platforms. This should have been a reality much earlier, if you ask me.

A Harvard study published last year estimated that major US social media platforms generated approximately $11 billion in advertising revenue from users under 18 in 2022. That's a lot of money!

KOSA, on the other hand, establishes a "duty of care" for social media companies towards minors, emphasizing platform design and company regulation. During a congressional hearing in January, executives from Snap and X expressed support for KOSA, while Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew voiced opposition to certain aspects of the bill.

Critics, including tech industry groups and the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that differing interpretations of harmful content could restrict minors' access to information on topics like vaccines, abortion, and LGBTQ issues. In response to these concerns, senators revised the bill's language earlier this year, including limiting the enforcement powers of state attorneys general.

Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay for Kids, a group supporting the legislation, stated that KOSA requires companies to address specific risks, such as content promoting eating disorders. He emphasized that the bill does not provide a legal basis for government censorship.

With each day that passes, the negative effects of the Internet on kids are becoming more and more apparent. We can speculate whether politicians are truly concerned about the issue, or are just trying to polish their image for the public, but something must be done.

Are you in favor of stricter or more relaxed measures?