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History at a glance
- Three organizations that advocate for children’s online safety have sent a letter to the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee urging passage of the Children’s Online Safety Act.
- The legislation was first introduced in February 2022 and received bipartisan support.
- Currently, there is only one law protecting children’s data online, and it is more than 20 years old.
A joint letter from child online safety advocates urges Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, to advance the Children’s Online Safety Act (KOSA).
The letter was organized by Fairplay, ParentsTogether and the Eating Disorders Coalition and received more than 100 signatures from organizations and individuals concerned about the harmful effects of social media on children and young people.
KOSA was first introduced in February 2022 and is sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and 11 others.
In the letter, the advocates call on the chairman to “publicly commit to moving KOSA (S.3663) as part of an overall spending bill before the end of the current session” and ask Cantwell to find time to talk to parents about the issue. .
Currently, only one law regulates the collection of data about children online. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) was first introduced in 1998, when the Internet was still in its infancy and smartphones and social media had yet to take off.
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Previous studies have detailed the detrimental effects of lax regulation on the Internet when it comes to children and adolescents. It is estimated that online advertising companies are able to collect 72 million pieces of data on children under the age of 13, which allows for extreme precision when it comes to targeting advertising.
Supporters say KOSA, which has received bipartisan support, would address those concerns by allowing parents and children to better protect personal information and report dangerous online activity. It will also allow parents and children to turn off addictive features on platforms and opt out of algorithmic recommendations.
In addition, the bill “requires platforms to monitor and monitor risks to minors and to disclose the steps they take to mitigate them,” the letter said.
The push comes after new research shows that TikTok — one of the most popular social media platforms used by children and teens in the United States — is fostering a culture of unhealthy eating among young users and may be contributing to unhealthy diets and body dissatisfaction. The company says it has taken steps to reduce harmful content.
According to advocates, repeated and prolonged use of social media has also been linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation among young users.
In 2021, it was revealed that Facebook knew its products harmed children and teenagers, but the company continued to prioritize profits over those risks.
“Social media companies have made it abundantly clear that they are prioritizing their revenue and profits over the public interest and will not act alone. Self-regulation has failed and we need a new set of rules to keep our kids safe online,” the letter said.
In addition to TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, advocates also cited the harm of Snapchat, where kids used to buy drugs laced with fentanyl. Since then, the company has made changes that make it harder for drug dealers to come into contact with children.
“Because the bill has broad bipartisan support, KOSA is our best chance to pass robust Internet safety legislation this year as part of a comprehensive spending bill,” the authors wrote.
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