"In the name of 'protecting kids online,' Congress pushed forward legislation this year that could have severely undermined our privacy and stifled free speech. These bills would have mandated invasive age-verification checks for everyone online-adults and kids alike-handing unprecedented control to tech companies and government authorities. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle introduced bill after bill, each one somehow more problematic than the last, and each one a gateway for massive surveillance, internet censorship, and government overreach."
"For us, this meant a year of playing legislative whack-a-mole, fighting off one bad bill after another. But more importantly, it meant building sustained opposition, strengthening coalitions, and empowering our supporters- that's you!-with the tools you need to understand what's at stake and take action. Luckily, thanks to this strong opposition, these federal efforts all stalled... for now. So, before we hang our hats and prepare for the new year, let's review some of our major wins against federal age-verification legislation in 2025."
"First introduced in 2022, KOSA would allow the Federal Trade Commission to sue apps and websites that don't take measures to restrict young people's access to certain content. There have been numerous versions introduced, though all of them share a common core: KOSA is an unconstitutional censorship bill that threatens the speech and privacy rights of all internet users. It would impose a requirement that platforms "exercise reasonable care""
Congress advanced numerous bills framed as protecting children online that would have required invasive age-verification for all internet users, risking privacy and speech rights. Bipartisan proposals proliferated, creating pathways for surveillance, censorship, and government overreach, with nearly twenty federal proposals considered. Sustained opposition from civil liberties, LGBTQ+, youth, human rights, and privacy groups mobilized campaigns, strengthened coalitions, and empowered supporters to take action. Those efforts stalled the federal legislation in 2025. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) remains the most significant threat, empowering the Federal Trade Commission to sue platforms and imposing a mandate that platforms "exercise reasonable care".
Read at Electronic Frontier Foundation
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