Senate Advances Landmark Online Safety Bills for Children and Teens

In a rare display of bipartisan cooperation amid a contentious presidential campaign, the U.S. Senate is poised to pass two landmark bills aimed at enhancing online safety for children and teenagers. These pieces of legislation, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children's and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), represent the most significant congressional action in decades to regulate social media's impact on young users.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut and former state attorney general, who co-authored KOSA with Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, emphasized the importance of this legislative effort. "This is why we came here — to get things done and do it in a bipartisan way that literally will save lives," Blumenthal stated in a recent interview.

KOSA would require social media companies to implement stronger protections for users under 17, provide guardians with enhanced control over minors' platform usage, and prevent certain features such as autoplay. Additionally, it would mandate companies to offer a dedicated page for reporting harmful content.

COPPA 2.0, crafted by Senators Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), aims to bolster online privacy protections for individuals under 17. The bill would prohibit targeted advertising to children and teens and introduce an "eraser button" allowing users to delete their information.

The tech industry's response to these bills has been mixed. Microsoft and Snap have endorsed KOSA, while Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has suggested improvements. Other social media companies have yet to take a formal stance.

Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union and other civil liberties groups, argue that the bill's definition of harm is overly broad and could potentially lead to censorship of content related to politically sensitive issues, gender equality, or abortion rights.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) worked closely with Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and the bills' sponsors to address concerns and build support. Schumer hailed the legislation as "perhaps the most important updates to federal laws protecting kids on the internet in decades" and urged the House to swiftly consider the package upon their return in September.

However, the path to President Biden's desk remains uncertain. The Republican-led House of Representatives has just begun a six-week summer recess and will not reconvene until September 9. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has expressed support for the bills' objectives but is still reviewing the legislation and has not yet scheduled a vote.

In the House, Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) indicated that her committee plans to mark up both bills, potentially introducing changes that would require further Senate approval.

The impetus for KOSA came from a series of emotional hearings focused on the harms of social media to young people. Parents testified about how social media had driven their children to suicide or caused other harm, compelling senators to demand apologies from social media executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Senator Blackburn emphasized the impact of these testimonies, stating, "As we held hearings, they stepped forward and shared their stories. They came to us and said, 'Let us be a part of this. Let us help.'"

As the legislative process unfolds, the tech industry, civil liberties groups, and lawmakers continue to grapple with the complex task of balancing online safety for minors with concerns about free speech and privacy. The outcome of these bills could significantly reshape the landscape of online interactions for young users in the United States.