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Kids Online Safety Act Advances in Senate, Faces House Disagreement on 'Duty of Care'
Key points
- KOSA advanced out of Senate Commerce Committee.
- Bill requires social media to prevent harm to minors.
- House and Senate versions differ on "duty of care."
- Legislation has 76 Senate cosponsors.
- Passage this session faces challenges due to disagreements.
Senate Committee Advances KOSA
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) cleared a significant hurdle by advancing through the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. This move opens a path for a full Senate floor vote on the legislation. The bill, introduced by Senator Marsha Blackburn and supported by Senator Richard Blumenthal, currently has 76 cosponsors in the Senate.
Key Provisions and Intent
KOSA is designed to establish protections for children's online safety. It includes provisions for parental controls and mandates that social media platforms exercise a "duty of care" to prevent harm to minors. Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat on the committee, stated that this duty of care requires companies to take reasonable steps to ensure their products do not harm children.
House and Senate Discrepancies
The House of Representatives passed its own version of an online safety bill in June as part of a broader package, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, which included KOSA and COPPA 2.0. However, there are key distinctions between the House and Senate versions. A primary point of contention is the inclusion of the "duty of care" provision in the Senate bill, which House leaders reportedly oppose. This disagreement has historically stalled similar legislation.
Uncertain Path to Passage
Despite advancing in the Senate, the legislation faces an uncertain path to becoming law this session. The significant disagreement between the two chambers over the "duty of care" provision, coupled with a short legislative calendar, makes passage difficult. Previous versions of the bill have been abandoned due to similar disagreements over finer details.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is unlikely to pass this legislative session despite advancing from the Senate Commerce Committee, due to a significant disagreement between the House and Senate over including a "duty of care" provision. This provision, which would legally require companies to prevent foreseeable harm, is opposed by House leaders and criticized by privacy advocates, hindering the bill's progress.
The Senate Commerce Committee has voted to advance the latest version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), moving it closer to a full Senate vote. This development is significant as the House of Representatives already passed its own version of the bill, indicating a potential path for federal regulation of online platforms concerning child safety.
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) passed a key hurdle by advancing through the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. This legislation aims to establish protections for children online through parental controls and by requiring social media platforms to exercise a "duty of care" to prevent harm to minors.