Statement on the Reintroduction of the Kids Online Safety Act

SAN FRANCISCO, May 2, 2023— Today, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Con.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) reintroduced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a comprehensive bipartisan proposal to enhance children's safety online. The bill is designed to impose responsibility on social media companies and equip families with the tools they need to stay safe online. James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, issued the following statement in support of the newly introduced bill.

"We applaud the steadfast leadership of Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn in fighting to make social media safer for families in the United States. We are witnessing a youth mental health crisis, and academic research, congressional hearings, and family testimonies have shown what a big role social media plays in that crisis.

"Social media platforms are addictive by design. KOSA will help mitigate the harmful effects of endless scrolling by requiring social media companies to address their harmful design practices once and for all. The bill also empowers young users by allowing them to opt out of algorithmic recommendation systems, which can amplify toxic content that causes them harm, such as content promoting disordered eating, self harm, and suicide. The national momentum to protect kids online is stronger than ever, and we hope the flurry of legislative activity across the country forces social media companies to rethink how they design their platforms. It's time to keep the pressure on Big Tech to create healthier products for young users.

"In addition to platform safety legislation, which we strongly support at the state and federal level, Congress must also strengthen kids' privacy online, and we look forward to the reintroduction of COPPA 2.0 ."

###

About Common Sense
Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org.

Media Contacts
Lorena Taboas
[email protected]
(786) 521-4215

Lisa Cohen
[email protected]
(310) 395-2544