Big Tech Needs Accountability, Not Protection, for Keeping Kids Safe Online

LOS ANGELES (September 17, 2024) – The Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) urged passage of the Kids Online Safety Act (H.R. 7891) and the Child and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 7890), which are scheduled for markup in the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, September 18. The U.S. Senate passed these two bills in July.

KOSA is designed to hold social media companies and other digital platforms accountable for protecting children online and requires stringent safety and privacy settings to be on by default. The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) expands privacy protections to teens and for children under age 13.

“Big Tech is enabling our children to be harmed online because the proper guardrails on their tech platforms have yet to be installed. No one has held Big Tech accountable for this clear lack of safety. The Kids Online Safety Act will ensure that Big Tech protects children and shields them from harm. COPPA 2.0 gives children enhanced privacy protections online,” said Melissa Henson, vice president, Parents Television and Media Council.

“The reality is that predators target children online to sexually exploit or extort them. Whistleblowers have revealed that Instagram was harming teens’ mental health and exposing teens to sexual harassment. Children and teens have been targeted by powerful algorithms with eating disorder and other harmful content. Children can access sexually explicit and graphically violent content with a click of a button.

“What KOSA does NOT do is censor free speech. Sen. Blumenthal and Sen. Blackburn, cosponsors of KOSA in the Senate, have pushed back on these claims,” said Henson.

Speaking at a press conference in July about KOSA, Sen. Blumenthal said, “There are endless myths and misconceptions that have been spread and they’re continuing to do it by the armies of lawyers and lobbyists that Big Tech has hired because they want to protect their profits. We want to protect children. There is no censorship in this bill. It’s about product design.”

Sen. Blackburn said, “We know that when our kids are online, they have become the product of social media platforms, and this is a way to put in place protections that are needed.”