All articles tagged with #kids online safety act
A Los Angeles jury found Meta and Google liable in a civil suit alleging social-media platforms addict youth and harm mental health. The verdict is hailed by critics as a pivotal moment of accountability, likened to a ‘Big Tobacco moment,’ and could spur federal safeguards like the Kids Online Safety Act, though both companies say they will appeal.
Senator Marsha Blackburn has withdrawn her support for a proposed provision in a tax bill that would prevent states from regulating AI for five years, citing concerns over protections for children and consumers, and plans to co-sponsor amendments to remove the AI regulation clause, amid ongoing Senate debates on tech legislation.
The latest version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) remains a dangerous censorship bill that empowers state officials to target online content they don't like, posing a threat to minors' access to lawful speech and information. Despite some changes, KOSA still raises First Amendment concerns and could harm vulnerable communities, including LGBTQ+ youth and those seeking mental health and reproductive rights information. The bill's "duty of care" provision and enforcement by state attorneys general continue to pose censorship risks, prompting the EFF to urge people to oppose the bill and demand that their representatives do the same.
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has gained enough Senate co-sponsors to pass through the chamber, marking a significant milestone for the legislation. The bill aims to create a duty of care for tech platforms to protect young users and allow them to opt out of algorithm-based recommendations. Changes to the bill's text address concerns about potential censorship and enforcement by state attorneys general. While some advocacy groups have withdrawn opposition, others, including Fight for the Future and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, maintain concerns about potential censorship and filtering of online content. Leading tech platforms like Snap, Microsoft, and X have expressed support for the bill, but it still needs to be brought to a floor vote and work its way through the House.
The Senate is on the verge of passing the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a significant piece of tech regulation aimed at protecting children online by imposing new obligations on digital platforms to prevent harm and enhance privacy settings for younger users. The bill has garnered bipartisan support and addresses concerns about targeting LGBT youths and stifling speech online. While it faces an unclear path in the House, its passage in the Senate could pressure the House to follow suit. The push for stricter regulations comes amid mounting bipartisan concern about the impact of social media on children's mental health and exposure to harmful content online.
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is a bipartisan bill supported by dozens of senators, aiming to protect children on social media by requiring platforms to implement "reasonable measures" to prevent harm such as bullying, harassment, sexual exploitation, anorexia, self-harm, and predatory marketing. The bill also mandates default high privacy and safety settings for users under 18 and allows young people to opt out of features that may lead to compulsive app use. While KOSA has gained support from children's groups and Snap, it faces opposition from civil rights groups concerned about potential censorship on politically polarizing issues.
Snapchat becomes the first tech platform to publicly support the Kids Online Safety Act, breaking ranks with its trade group NetChoice. The bill aims to enhance online protections for children by preventing the recommendation of harmful content. Snap's CEO, along with other tech company heads, is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where they will face scrutiny over their alleged failure to remove content promoting child sexual abuse. The bill's co-sponsors, Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn, welcomed Snap's endorsement and continue to push for the bill's passage, despite opposition and challenges from other tech companies and lawmakers.