Will the Kids Online Safety Act Protect Children on the Internet?

Story by Maestro Joyner. Image courtesy of Twin Design. 

On February 16th, 2022 Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn introduced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bill that aims to protect minors on the internet from inappropriate or harmful content, including social media, articles, and browsing sites. This came after Frances Haugen, a data scientist for Facebook, leaked files that showed the negative effects of Instagram on minors’ mental health. 

The bill states that social media platforms would have to allow disclosure of personalized recommendations, targeted advertising, and annual reports on foreseeable risks of harm to minors from using the platform. Also, it states that parents, guardians, and schools can report content that is harmful for minors on the internet.   

The KOSA bill was finally approved by the Senate Commerce Committee on July 27, 2023. By February 2024, the bill had more than 60 people backing it, so it could be passed. The act has been supported by major corporations like the National Education Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, and the American Psychological Association.

However, the question on everyone's mind is, will the KOSA act really protect kids on the internet, or is it a way for the government to control what is posted online? The basis of the KOSA bill is that it will filter and censor anything that exposes kids to content that affects their mental health. While this can be positive when the content is explicitly sexual, or harmful for body image, for example, it can also extend to LGBTQIA+ issues, the Civil Rights Movement, critical race theory, mental health information, and other complex issues. Anything that parents and government officials think has a damaging effect on minors on the internet can be censored. 

Since the bill is vague on what is considered “harmful,” and many governors have stated that transgender ideology and critical race theory, for example, are harming kids' mental and emotional development, it isn’t far fetched to assume that platforms that promote conversation about marginalized groups could face legal troubles. 

Another issue is the mandatory age verification requirement on platforms. The age verification process would require everyone to upload their government issued ID and private data onto the internet, to prove that they are an adult. Many people are concerned about their online safety and security, since hackers would have access to many people’s ID to use or sell, and could use this information to exploit them. It is also concerning to give the government so much control of people’s information.

Overall, online child safety is an on-going complex issue, and there are better ways to make the internet safe for kids while not censoring information on the internet. Organizations like The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non profit organization that defends the civil liberties of citizens within the digital world, want to ensure that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all people…You can learn more about them, and digital censorship, here.

Maestro Joyner is a junior at Friendship Collegiate Academy.