Senate Passes Bill to Protect Minors Online
The U.S. Senate passed two bills to increase the protection of children and teens online. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), and the Children and Teen’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) were approved with a vote of 91-3 on July 30, 2024.
The COPPA 2.0 bill is sponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and co-sponsored by Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. The KOSA bill is sponsored by Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and co-sponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La.
The bills require the approval of the House of Representatives before they can be sent to President Biden. The president supports the bills and intends to sign them into law.
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)
The Kids Online Safety Act is designed to provide additional protection options and guardian controls for children under seventeen. The act expands online safety and privacy features for children. It also requires online platforms to provide a way for users to report issues. This bill aims to end online bullying, harassment, and exploitation of minors. If passed, the law will apply to all social media platforms that children would likely use, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. The Senate has held hearings listening to parents of children who have been victims of various types of online bullying or abuse.
Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0)
The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act is an update to the 1998 Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The act extends online privacy protections, which currently apply to children under age 13, to those under age 17. Online companies would have to receive consent from teens before they could collect personal information. Companies currently must have the consent of parents to collect personal information of children under age 13. The bill also prohibits advertising targeted at children and teens, and it provides users with the option to delete personal information in some circumstances.
Support and Opposition to the Bills
Many large technology companies have announced their support for the specific bills or for similar protections for minors online. Some opponents of the bills suggest there are better ways of protecting minors online. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and some other civil liberties groups oppose the bills on the grounds that they could lead to censorship of controversial topics or health issues.
The House of Representatives has also discussed the issues related to protecting minors online for years. It planned a vote on the two bills in June. At the last minute, however, the Republican House leadership stopped the bills from coming to a vote. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that he is still reviewing the bills and has not scheduled a vote. The House membership is on summer recess and will not return until September 9.