Tech leaders push Congress to protect kids online

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Over the weekend, prominent figures Donald Trump Jr. and Elon Musk voiced their support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), urging Congress to pass this significant legislation.

“We can protect free speech and our kids at the same time from Big Tech. It’s time for House Republicans to pass the Kids Online Safety Act ASAP,” Trump Jr. wrote on Sunday.

Who benefits from blocking the Kids Online Safety Act? Only companies whose business model relies on hooking kids. That means especially Meta, Snap, and Tiktok. The House should bring up #KOSA for a vote, now.

For more info: https://t.co/pY4DrrJKI8

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— Jonathan Haidt (@JonHaidt) December 5, 2024

X CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed her company’s backing for the updated bill in a detailed statement:

“At X, protecting our children is our top priority. As I’ve always said, freedom of speech and safety can and must coexist. And as a mother, it’s personal. When X testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last January, we committed to working with Congress on child safety legislation. We’ve heard the pleas of parents and youth advocates who seek sensible guardrails across online platforms, and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) addresses that need. After working with the bill authors, I’m proud to share that we’ve made progress to further protect freedom of speech while maintaining safety for minors online. Thank you to Marsha Blackburn and Sen. Blumenthal for your leadership, dedication, and collaboration on this issue and landmark legislation. We urge Congress and the House to pass the Kids Online Safety Act this year.”

Musk responded with his own endorsement, stating, “Protecting kids should always be priority #1.”

The legislation, championed by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), aims to enhance parental control over children’s online experiences and protect their wellbeing. It would also introduce the Open App Markets Act to challenge the Apple and Google app store monopoly.

“New” KOSA, Same Problems: Congress Should Reject KOSA’s False Promises to American Families

WASHINGTON—Over the weekend, sponsors of the misleadingly titled “Kids Online Safety Act” (KOSA) released an “updated version” of the bill’s text in a last-ditch effort to pass this… pic.twitter.com/sE5G5KqxF3

— NetChoice (@NetChoice) December 9, 2024

While KOSA passed the Senate with overwhelming support (91-3), its journey through the House remains uncertain, facing opposition from Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

A rally scheduled for Tuesday will feature various advocates including Representative Gus Bilirakis and several parent advocates who lost children to online-related incidents.

Speaking to Breitbart News Daily in 2023, Blackburn explained that the bill would “disable some of these tracking features that push addictive products and behavior. And also it requires the social media platforms to be transparent with their algorithmic black boxes, to open these up.”