Alexandra Walsh’s Post

The bills — the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, referred to as COPPA 2.0 — represent the most significant restrictions on tech platforms to clear a chamber of Congress in decades.
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[KOSA] would create the new obligation for companies to mitigate potential harms to children, known as a “duty of care.” Since its introduction in 2022, a coalition of child safety advocates, youth activists and parents whose children’s deaths were linked to social media have urged lawmakers to act, forming a powerful lobbying force that gave lawmakers a visceral reminder of the potential stakes. … 
If signed into law, COPPA 2.0 would widen the parental consent requirement for data collection to include information from children as old as 16. The bill would also ban companies from targeting kids and teens with advertising, a proposal Biden has vocally endorsed in his State of the Union addresses. KOSA has fomented more forceful opposition than COPPA 2.0.

📰 Breaking News: Today, the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act passed the Senate with an overwhelming 91-3 vote. This is a tremendous moment for the health and safety of children online. The two bills in the package — known as the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA 2.0 — represent the most significant congressional action in decades to regulate social media’s impact on children and teens largely due to Kristin Bride and Amy Neville's advocacy amongst many other parents and youth orgs like #HALFTHESTORY and Design It For Us. The lopsided vote saw Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and GOP Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah, as the only no votes. This landmark legislation creates the most robust federal protections for kids online the United States has ever seen. It's been nearly 30 years since we last passed major legislation protecting our children. Kudos to all who have worked tirelessly to make this a reality. Together, we are making the digital world a safer place for our children. CHANGE IS HAPPENING! #ChildSafety #DigitalWellbeing #KidsOnlineSafety #PrivacyProtection https://lnkd.in/gfP4fnN8

🚨 Breaking News: US Senate passes historic Kids Online Privacy Bill! 🚨 Exciting development in safeguarding our children's digital lives! The US Senate has just passed a few crucial bills aimed at enhancing online privacy protections for kids. The bills — the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, referred to as COPPA 2.0 — represent the most significant restrictions on tech platforms in decades. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner have already put protections and measures already in place under the Online Safety Act, including the Restricted Access System Declaration, the Basic Online Safety Expectations Determination and recently (July 1st) issued notices for the second phase of Industry codes and standards development. It's great to see how many significant steps are being made towards creating a safer internet environment for the younger generation on a global scale. #YoungLivesMatter #DigitalWellbeing #OnlineSafety https://lnkd.in/gKb-rZfa

On Tuesday, the Senate passed two bills aimed at enhancing online privacy and safety for children, marking a significant legislative step in addressing concerns over tech companies' impact on young users. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) passed with overwhelming support (91-3). These bills mandate that digital platforms take "reasonable" measures to prevent harm to children, including bullying, drug addiction, and sexual exploitation. They also extend federal privacy protections to individuals 16 years old and younger. The legislation emerged from investigations into Facebook's harmful effects on teens, which catalyzed action among lawmakers and activists. KOSA introduces a "duty of care" for companies, a new obligation to mitigate potential risks to children, while COPPA 2.0 expands privacy protections by requiring parental consent for data collection from teens and banning targeted advertising at this age group. Although the Senate's approval is a major victory for child safety advocates, the bills face challenges in the House, where broader data privacy legislation and internal disagreements have stalled progress. Despite bipartisan support, negotiations have faltered, and House leadership has expressed concerns. If enacted, the new laws are expected to face legal challenges from the tech industry, which argues that such regulations could infringe on free speech and constitutional rights. Tech trade groups have criticized the bills as unconstitutional, drawing parallels to previous state-level regulations that were struck down by courts. Despite the hurdles, proponents argue that the legislation is crucial for improving online safety and holding tech companies accountable. The bills' future remains uncertain, with limited legislative time left this year and the upcoming election potentially affecting Congressional priorities. See the article here: https://lnkd.in/g_97juMY

THIS JUST IN: The US Senate just passed a pair of bills to "expand online privacy and safety protections for children, delivering a major win for parent and youth activists who have clamored for action against tech companies they say are endangering the well-being of kids." Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eTs6J_sS #onlineprivacy #socialmedia #digitalsafety

📢 Historic Senate Passage of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSPA): A Major Win for Child Safety! Today marks a monumental milestone in the fight to protect our children online. The U.S. Senate has passed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSPA), a critical step towards regulating the dangerous practices of Big Tech. This victory is a testament to the relentless efforts of parents, advocates, and legislators who have prioritized the well-being of our young ones over corporate profits. Quick Takeaways: - Protection from Exploitation: KOSPA addresses the exploitative practices of Big Tech, targeting predatory algorithms and harmful design choices. Bipartisan Effort: The overwhelming bipartisan support showcases a unified commitment to child safety. - Ongoing Advocacy: Organizations like ParentsSOS and Fairplay's Screen Time Action Network will continue to provide educational resources and push for further legislative changes. The Senate's approval of KOSPA is a groundbreaking move to shield children from online dangers. It underscores the power of collective advocacy and the need for continued vigilance in the digital age. The well-being of our future generations depends on such decisive actions. 🔗 For more information explore https://lnkd.in/g52-w8hX . #ChildSafety #DigitalWellbeing #KOSPA #BigTech #OnlineSafety #Legislation #ParentsSOS #breakingnews #share

🚨 NEW bills I’ve co-sponsored to safeguard our children's mental health and online privacy: 1️⃣ Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act (Bill A8148): Aiming to prevent social media platforms from showing addictive content to minors without parental consent. It also restricts late-night notifications, prioritizing children's well-being. 2️⃣ New York Child Data Protection Act (Bill A8149): Ensuring minors' online privacy by limiting the collection and usage of their personal data without explicit consent. Let's unite to prioritize our children's well-being and digital privacy. 🛡️ 📺 More from WNYT NewsChannel 13 [https://lnkd.in/gHW5kdtY] #ChildSafety #PrivacyProtection

📢 Breaking News: A historic law to protect kids online and hold tech companies accountable. Last week, the US Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act, a landmark piece of legislation aiming to shield minors from harmful online content and ensure tech companies are responsible for their impact on children's safety. Inspired by tragic stories like that of Carson Bride, this bill seeks to prevent cyberbullying, sextortion, and dangerous viral challenges by prohibiting algorithms from pushing harmful content and improving parental controls. With broad bipartisan support, this legislation represents a significant step forward in creating a safer digital environment for our youth. It now moves to the House for approval. Let's work together to make the internet a safer place for everyone. #MentalHealth #SocialMedia #CyberBullying #OnlineSafety #TechAccountability #ChildProtection

New York State is taking a bold step in protecting the well-being of its young residents by regulating social media use. Governor Kathy Hochul has signed two bills into law, aiming to curb the harmful effects of addictive algorithm-driven feeds and excessive data collection on minors. This move sets a precedent for other states to follow suit in prioritizing the digital health and privacy of the next generation. #DigitalWellness #SocialMediaRegulation #YouthProtection #DataPrivacy #NewYorkLeads https://lnkd.in/gGiaje8f

I recently shared with Business Insider my insights on the HB3 bill by Florida Governor DeSantis, aimed at safeguarding minors on social media. This legislation enforces strict measures, prohibiting children under 14 from social media usage and requiring parental consent for ages 14 to 15. A pivotal provision allows parents to seek damages up to $10,000 if platforms fail to remove underage accounts promptly, underscoring the critical need to protect our youth from online hazards and mental health issues. This legislation prompts a dialogue on balancing digital privacy and child protection amid expected First Amendment challenges. With HB3 slated for enforcement by January 2025, it sets the stage for a nuanced debate on the digital age's intricacies for minors. #Florida #DeSantis #DigitalPrivacy #YouthSafety #SocialMediaLaw