Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticizes the KIDS Act, calling it a cover for Big Tech lobbyists’ agenda.
A series of child safety bills are moving to the House floor after a contentious session between Democrats and Republicans. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, Sammy’s Law, and the App Store Accountability Act, which mandates age-gating for app stores.
The KIDS Act, led by Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), includes measures from the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) without the Senate’s “duty of care” rule requiring tech platforms to protect minors. Some Democrats argue the bill weakens states’ ability to enhance online protections for minors. KOSA has historically struggled to pass.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez argues that the KIDS Act uses child safety as a facade for Big Tech interests, alleging it promotes a national surveillance system exploiting personal data without real protection. She criticized Discord’s controversial age verification plans, which were retracted after user backlash.
Additional provisions in the bill require age verification for app downloads and access to adult content, aim to prevent compulsive platform usage, and mandate AI systems to disclose their non-human nature to minors. The KIDS Act passed with a 28 to 24 vote.
The Committee also approved the App Store Accountability Act, which enforces age verification at app store levels to restrict minors’ access to age-restricted content, and Sammy’s Law, allowing parental control over children’s social media. The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) wasn’t voted on by the House Committee, awaiting Senate decision.
The app store age verification debate continues, with tech firms like Meta and Spotify supporting the measure, while Apple and Google oppose it, a clash evident in states like Utah and Louisiana.
Morgan Wilsmann from Public Knowledge criticizes the focus on parental responsibility for online safety instead of compelling platforms to create safer environments. However, the current legislation does include positive steps like mandating safer design for children’s platforms.