Senate passes legislation to protect children online: An overview of KOSA and COPPA 2.0
In a decisive move to enhance children's online safety, the Senate has passed landmark legislation designed to protect young users from the dangers kids face when on the internet. This package of bills, comprising the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, passing with a 91-3 vote.
Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA)
KOSA, a pivotal piece of the legislative package, targets a wide range of online dangers that children and teens face today. It mandates that social media platforms adopt a "duty of care" to protect young users. This includes implementing safeguards against cyberbullying, exposure to violence, promotion of suicide or harmful behaviours such as eating disorders, and the risk of sexual exploitation. The act also requires these platforms to safeguard minors' personal information, disable addictive features, and avoid using personalised algorithms that could negatively impact young minds. Importantly, KOSA will also aim to restrict interactions between minors and other users, enhancing the overall safety of social media environments.
The provisions in KOSA for default safety settings, enhanced user controls, and proactive harm prevention align well with best practices in online safety. These measures have the potential to significantly improve the online experience for young users without unduly compromising the innovative spirit of the digital world.
Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0)
COPPA 2.0, an updated version of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, is a legislative proposal designed to enhance the privacy and protection of minors in the digital age. This updated act extends protections to include not only children under 13 but also teenagers up to their 17th birthday.
This measure prevents online companies from collecting personal data from this age group without verifiable parental consent and bans targeted advertising toward teens. Furthermore, it grants young users the right to have their personal information deleted, empowering them to better control their online presence and privacy and thereby, helping to create a safer and more secure online environment for children and teens.
Recent research from Verifymy underscores the pervasive risks associated with social media
In the US, 80% of parents say their kids have experienced some form of online harm, ranging from illicit content to harassment. In addition to harmful content, 20% of parents reported their kids have been approached by strangers online, 20% have accessed age-restricted content and 16% have faced bullying and harassment via social platforms.
The level of harmful and illegal content online today is unacceptable, and parents are rightly worried and are doing everything they can to educate and protect their kids as they interact online.
The passage of these bills marks a significant step towards creating a safer digital environment for children and teens. However, we must recognise that this is just the first hurdle. As KOSA moves to the House, we anticipate further scrutiny and debate. While the Senate's support indicates strong bipartisan backing, some representatives have raised concerns about potential free speech implications, leaving the future of these measures uncertain. As the debate continues, it will be crucial for industry experts, child safety advocates, and policymakers to collaborate in shaping effective, implementable policies.
Navigating the path forward: Addressing the complexities of online safety for children
Whilst this is a step in the right direction, we must also acknowledge the challenges ahead. Effective age assurance (age verification and age estimation) at scale, nuanced content moderation, and balancing safety with privacy and free speech are complex issues. These are areas where industry expertise and technological innovation will play a crucial role.
However, highly accurate, privacy-preserving and user-friendly safety technology is not a pipedream - it already exists. Whether that be age estimation using just a user’s email address or content moderation combining AI and humans, these solutions are already deployed at scale by some of the world’s biggest tech platforms.
As the debate continues and these bills progress through the legislative process, Verifymy urges tech companies to be proactive. Don't wait for the final vote - start exploring robust safety solutions now. The focus remains on balancing safety, privacy, and freedom in the evolving landscape of online interactions and the industry has a responsibility to contribute to building a safer internet for our children.