KOSA has 70 Senate cosponsors and awaiting a floor vote; House of Representatives KOSA Companion introduced

Today, over 700 parents from Louisiana called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to use his position as Speaker of the House to pass the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). KOSA would require social media companies to design their platforms to put children’s safety ahead of profits. That means identifying and mitigating harms, giving parents better reporting tools, and turning children’s privacy protections to the highest settings by default. In the Senate, KOSA has a broad bipartisan base of support with 70 Senate cosponsors and is awaiting a floor vote, and in the House of Representatives, a companion bill was introduced and received a committee hearing.

READ THE LETTER HERE.

Hundreds of Louisiana parents hailing from every corner of the state wrote to Johnson: “Report after report has linked the pressure to spend more time on digital media platforms with the growing mental health crisis in young people, increased risk of sexual predation, and decreased overall wellbeing in kids and teens.” 

“Advocates and lawmakers have spent years developing and championing bipartisan legislation for Congress, and the moment to seize on that effort is now. That’s why Louisiana parents are calling for Speaker Mike Johnson to use the power of his office to pass the Kids Online Safety Act by any means necessary,” said Shelby Knox, Campaign Director at ParentsTogether Action. “ Companies like Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok have proven they will never put children’s lives above their profits. These companies knowingly expose our kids to harmful algorithms and refuse to protect them from drug dealers and sexual predators. How much longer must families wait for our elected leaders to step in?”

Background: 

Late last year, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry joined a bipartisan coalition of 40+ Attorneys General in filing a lawsuit against Meta for harming youth mental health through its harmful and addictive algorithms and product designs.

The complaint alleges that instead of taking steps to mitigate these harms, Meta misled the public about the harms associated with use of its platform, concealing the extent of the psychological and health harms suffered by young users addicted to use of its platforms. The complaint goes further by stating that Meta knew that young users, including those under 13, were active on the platforms, and knowingly collected data from these users without parental consent. It targeted these young users noting, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal article, that such a user base was “valuable, but untapped.”

Earlier this month, Representatives Gus Biliarakis (R-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Erin Houchin (R-IN), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Larry Buschon (R-IN) introduced a House version of the landmark bipartisan legislation (H.R. 7891), which has already received a hearing in the U.S.House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Innovation, Data, & Commerce subcommittee.

The Senate version of KOSA is now sponsored by over two-thirds of the U.S. Senate, passed unanimously out of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, and is awaiting a vote on the full Senate floor. The legislation is awaiting committee approval and a vote in the House. 

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