WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a decisive 91-3 vote on Tuesday, the United States Senate approved the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act, a legislative package aimed at safeguarding children on the internet. This package includes two critical bills: the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). This legislation marks the most significant congressional effort to protect children online in decades.
“We all know the positive side of the internet, but social media can take a serious toll on mental health. I’ve experienced this firsthand and I’ve spoken openly about it,” said Senator John Fetterman in a statement. “We must do more to protect our children’s privacy online and safeguard their mental health – these bills are critical steps to do just that.”
The new laws will regulate the content that tech and social media companies can offer to minors through algorithm recommendations. Companies will be required to take steps to mitigate harmful content such as bullying, violence, suicide promotion, and eating disorders. Additionally, the legislation will place restrictions on how companies can use young people’s data.
Senator Fetterman highlighted the importance of the legislation in preventing far-right attorneys general or federal appointees from using it to censor content that supports LGBTQ+ youth or provides information on reproductive health care. “I’m especially proud to have worked to improve this legislation so that far-right attorneys general or federal appointees will not be able to weaponize it to censor both content that supports LGBTQ+ youth and content that provides information on reproductive health care,” he added.
Despite being unable to vote in person due to COVID-19, Senator Fetterman expressed pride in his contributions to the bill. “It’s good to see that we’re stepping up to protect our children. I’m proud of the work I’ve done on this legislation and wish I could have been in DC to vote for it, instead of home in Braddock with COVID. I hope the House takes it up and passes it as soon as possible.”
The approval of these bills represents a significant step forward in protecting children’s online experiences and promoting their mental health. The Senate’s actions reflect a growing recognition of the need for comprehensive internet safety measures for young users.
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