Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) reintroduce the Kids Online Safety Act with the support of the Senate majority, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. and suggested the bill would be filibuster-proof. It comes to the floor.
On Thursday, Blackburn and Blumenthal announced that the amendment would be joined by 62 senators, evenly split between the two parties. If passed, it would be one of the largest Big Tech crackdowns in recent years, restricting content aimed at minors that promotes drug abuse, suicide, sexual exploitation and alcohol abuse. It would also require social media companies to put in place certain controls to limit screen time, prohibit restrictive features and restrict access to potentially harmful user profiles. .
“This overwhelming bipartisan support for the Kids Online Safety Act (62 total co-sponsors, Democrats and Republicans) reflects the powerful voices of young people and parents who want Congress to act,” the lawmakers said. said in a joint statement.
Hundreds of parents call on Schumer to act on social media safety bill for kids: ‘At the ultimate price’
A finger points to the Messenger mobile app displayed on a smartphone screen alongside the X, Whatsapp, Facebook, TikTok and Threads apps on August 15, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Jonathan Rah/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The new bill comes just weeks after the CEOs of Discord, Snap, TikTok, X, and Meta testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Public hearing to discuss child safety online. It also addressed concerns raised by groups who opposed the bill when it first went into effect last year, believing it would be harmful to LGBTQ+ children.
Both the nonprofit LGBTQ+ advocacy groups GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign withdrew their previous opposition to the bill.
“Recent critical hearings with CEOs of major tech companies demonstrated the urgent need for reform. With new changes and increased support to strengthen the bill, we are seizing this moment. We must take action. We must listen to children, parents, experts, and advocates. And we must finally hold big tech companies accountable by enacting the Kids Online Safety Act. We will pursue this matter,” the lawmakers said.
President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to pass the bill last year when it was first introduced.
Audience cheers as Mr. Graham tells Mr. Zuckerberg, “You have blood on your hands.”
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, spoke at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis” about the harm caused by unsafe social media. I apologized to the family. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Schumer, who also came under pressure this month from hundreds of families who blamed social media for their children’s deaths, said in a statement that he would work on a “bipartisan basis” to move the bill forward. He said he was “looking forward to” working together.
The Kids Online Safety Act would require social media companies to design products with the safety of children and teens in mind, provide tools for parents to protect children, and encourage families to use these platforms. It will be mandatory to provide more options for management and disconnection.
I look forward to working with Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn on a bipartisan basis to move this bill forward in the Senate. ”
Big tech companies face grilling on Capitol Hill over content that hurts children
Lalani Erica Walton, an 8-year-old from Texas, was the youngest victim whose relatives signed a letter to Schumer urging support for the bill earlier this month. Her parents are suing TikTok and parent company ByteDance, saying the girl strangled herself to death while participating. The viral “Blackout Challenge” This encouraged users to strangle themselves with belts, purse strings, or other similar items until they passed out.
FOX News’ Daniel Wallace contributed to this report.
