"But according to Congress, Big Tech is somehow both the problem and the solution. The Senate Commerce Committee held a today on "examining the effect of technology on America's youth." Witnesses warned about "addictive" online content, mental health, and kids spending too much time buried in screen. At the center of the debate is a bill from Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) called the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), which they say will protect children and "empower parents.""
"That's a reasonable goal, especially at a time when many parents feel overwhelmed and nervous about how much time their kids spend on screens. But while the bill's press release contains soothing language, KOSMA doesn't actually give parents more control. Instead of respecting how most parents guide their kids towards healthy and educational content, KOSMA hands the control panel to Big Tech. That's right-this bill would take power away from parents, and hand it over to the companies that lawmakers say are the problem."
Lawmakers are again focusing on children, screens, and mental health, with witnesses warning about addictive online content and excess screen time. Senators Cruz and Schatz propose the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) and describe it as protecting children and empowering parents. Major platforms already prohibit account ownership for users under 13, a policy shaped largely by compliance with the federal privacy law COPPA. KOSMA would ban under-13s from social media, but the bill also reallocates control over access mechanisms to technology companies rather than expanding direct parental control over content and usage.
Read at Electronic Frontier Foundation
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