While 86% of parents have expressed concern over the online safety of their kids, according to a recent State of the Youth survey, many don’t know what to do about it—and about one in three wish they had more resources to help them figure it out. This week, the White House heeded that call . Noting that approximately 95% of teenagers and 40% of children between 8 and 12 use some form of social media—which has been connected by the U.
S. Surgeon General and others to the ongoing youth mental-health crisis —the Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force released a massive report of best practices both for families and the industry. It called for more industry accountability and for Congress to pass the Kid’s Online Safety Act (KOSA) , the first law aiming to protect children online since 1998—long before smartphones or TikTok even existed.
KOSA—which is endorsed by groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Federation of Teachers, and Common Sense Media (and opposed by Meta platforms)—appears to have enough bipartisan support to pass, and cleared a major Senate hurdle on Thursday. The bill, expected to come up for a vote on July 30, would set a “duty of care” standard for social media companies with users who are minors—something that opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union , worry would censor important LGBTQ, reproductive, and sexual health information to youth. It would also require such platforms offer options for mi.
