US Senate Passes Key Online Child Safety Reforms
The US Senate Tuesday passed two online child safety bills in a 91-3 vote, banning advertising to minors and making social media firms more responsible for the safety of minors on their platforms....
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Facts
- The US Senate Tuesday passed two online child safety bills in a 91-3 vote, banning advertising to minors and making social media firms more responsible for the safety of minors on their platforms.[1]
- The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) are reportedly the first such attempts to be passed in two decades.[2]
- The Senate's nod sends the bills, the product of inputs from lawmakers and parents over many years, to the House, which is currently in recess.[3]
- KOSA requires online platforms used by minors to take “reasonable” measures to mitigate bullying, sexual exploitation, and the promotion of drugs, among other harms.[2]
- While several tech firms such as Microsoft, X (formerly Twitter), and Snap have backed the reforms, industry groups and civil liberty advocates have alleged that there are unaddressed constitutional concerns present in the legislation.[4]
Sources: [1]Reuters, [2]Verge, [3]New York Times and [4]CBS.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by STAT. The impact of social media on children's mental health has for years underscored the urgent need for reforms to protect children online. A rise in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues linked to social media has been reported in recent years. KOSA offers much-needed safeguards, requiring platforms to enable strong privacy settings for minors, give parents more control, and hold platforms accountable for harmful content. It could create a safer digital environment for children, preventing tragedies from being repeated.
- Narrative B, as provided by Chicago Sun. The child online safety reforms, though well-intentioned, may inadvertently harm children. To enforce these laws, tech companies must identify underage users, leading to increased online surveillance and privacy issues for everyone. Akin to government censorship, the vague legislation also runs the risk of being misused by ideologically driven attorneys general, who would be left to decide the parameters of harmful speech. These measures are in clear violation of the Constitution and must be reconsidered.
