The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has been reintroduced in Congress and, if enacted, could bring about the most substantial changes to internet regulation in the U.S. since the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998.
Under the current version of the bill, social media platforms could face legal consequences if they fail to adequately protect minors from various forms of harm. These harms include issues like eating disorders, sexual exploitation, substance abuse, and suicide. Although KOSA passed easily in the Senate last year, it stalled in the House.
Since its introduction in 2022, KOSA has encountered significant criticism. Organizations such as the ACLU have voiced concerns that the bill could be misused to enable censorship and increased surveillance. Although recent amendments have addressed some of these issues, advocacy groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Fight for the Future continue to oppose the legislation.
Fight for the Future has criticized the bill’s core premise, arguing that despite assurances from its authors, KOSA fundamentally targets speech. “The Duty of Care is about speech: it’s about blocking speech that the government believes is bad for kids,” the group said in a statement, warning that the power to define harmful content could be misused by those aiming to suppress marginalized voices and dissenting opinions.
Despite this opposition, KOSA has gained support from major tech companies including Microsoft, Snap, and X. In fact, X CEO Linda Yaccarino collaborated with Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on the latest version of the bill. While Google and Meta continue to oppose the legislation, Apple has now backed it.
“Apple is pleased to offer our support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Everyone has a part to play in keeping kids safe online, and we believe \[this] legislation will have a meaningful impact on children’s online safety,” said Timothy Powderly, Apple’s senior director of Government Affairs.
