What KOSA Would Do
KOSA would fundamentally change how platforms are required to treat minor users by creating a legal duty of care. Instead of relying on platforms to voluntarily protect kids, the law would make it a legal obligation β enforceable by the FTC and state attorneys general.
Duty of Care
Platforms must act in the best interest of minors by mitigating specific harms: mental health damage, bullying, sexual exploitation, promotion of self-harm, and substance abuse.
Strongest Default Settings
Safety features must be enabled by default for minor accounts β not buried in settings menus that most kids never find.
Parental Tools
Platforms must provide parents with tools to supervise their children's online experience, including content controls and time management.
Annual Audits
Independent audits of platform safety practices, with results reported to the FTC.
No Algorithmic Amplification
Prohibits platforms from using algorithms to promote harmful content to minors β no more recommendation engines pushing kids toward dangerous content.
The Bipartisan Coalition
KOSA is co-sponsored by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) β a rare left-right alliance that reflects growing consensus that voluntary self-regulation by Big Tech has failed to protect children.
In the 118th Congress (2024), KOSA passed the Senate with an overwhelming 91β3 vote. That near-unanimous support is extraordinary in today's Congress, where most legislation struggles to get 60 votes.
What Happened in 2024
Despite overwhelming Senate support, KOSA died in the House. Speaker Mike Johnson never brought it to a floor vote, citing concerns about government overreach into content moderation. Tech industry lobbying also played a significant role β major platforms spent heavily to prevent the bill from reaching the President's desk.
Timeline
Criticism From Both Sides
Conservative Concerns
- β’ Government overreach into content moderation
- β’ Could be weaponized to censor political speech
- β’ FTC given too much discretion to define βharmβ
- β’ Parents, not government, should decide what kids see
Progressive Concerns
- β’ Could restrict access to LGBTQ+ content for teens
- β’ State AG enforcement may target politically disfavored speech
- β’ May not go far enough on platform liability
- β’ Enforcement burden could hurt smaller platforms
What the Tech Industry Says
Major tech companies have publicly supported βthe goalsβ of KOSA while lobbying aggressively against its specific provisions. Their main arguments: the duty of care standard is vague, compliance costs would be enormous, and smaller competitors would be disproportionately burdened. Critics counter that Big Tech has had decades to self-regulate and has consistently chosen profits over child safety.
The Case for KOSA
Supporters point to overwhelming evidence that voluntary self-regulation has failed:
- β’NCMEC received 36.2 million CSAM reports in 2024 β up from 1.1 million in 2014
- β’1 in 3 boys aged 9β12 report unwanted sexual interactions online
- β’Financial sextortion of minors increased 300%+ between 2021 and 2024
- β’Platform design actively exploits adolescent psychology for engagement
Current Status & What Needs to Happen
KOSA was reintroduced in May 2025 as S.1748 with the same bipartisan sponsors. For the bill to become law this time, it needs:
- 1.Senate passage (likely, given 91β3 in 2024)
- 2.House committee markup and floor vote (the 2024 sticking point)
- 3.Presidential signature (Trump administration has signaled support for child safety legislation)
What You Can Do
Contact your House representative and tell them to support KOSA. The Senate has done its job β twice. The House needs to hear from parents that this matters. Find your representative at house.gov.