Blackburn, Blumenthal Introduce KOSA With Backing From Thune, Schumer
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have signed onto the Kids Online Safety Act, its lead sponsors announced Wednesday.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
The lawmakers joined Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in introducing KOSA. They announced an endorsement from Apple, as well.
The Senate passed KOSA in 2024 on a 91-3 vote. It stalled in the House due to opposition from House Republican leadership.
NetChoice and the Computer & Communications Industry Association remain opposed. CCIA is "concerned that efforts to comply with KOSA’s current language will lead to unnecessary data collection and removal of legitimate expression, including by at-risk communities,” said President Matt Schruers. “Protecting younger users online is a universally shared objective, but making the internet less inclusive and forcing the collection of sensitive data to satisfy vaguely drafted duties is not the answer.”
The National Center on Sexual Exploitation urged passage. “Every day, children are exposed to harms online, targeted with sextortion threats, groomed by predators, fed dangerous content. Kids are dying while Big Tech avoids all accountability. It's beyond time for Kids Online Safety Act!" said NCSOE President Marcel van der Watt.