The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) easily passed the Senate today despite critics’ concerns that the bill may risk creating more harm than good for kids and perhaps censor speech for online users of all ages if it’s signed into law.

KOSA received broad bipartisan support in the Senate, passing with a 91–3 vote alongside the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Action (COPPA) 2.0. Both laws seek to control how much data can be collected from minors, as well as regulate the platform features that could harm children’s mental health.

However, while child safety advocates have heavily pressured lawmakers to pass KOSA, critics, including hundreds of kids, have continued to argue that it should be blocked.

Among them is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which argues that “the House of Representatives must vote no on this dangerous legislation.”

If not, potential risks to kids include threats to privacy (by restricting access to encryption, for example), reduced access to vital resources, and reduced access to speech that impacts everyone online, the ACLU has alleged.

The ACLU recently staged a protest of more than 300 students on Capitol Hill to oppose KOSA’s passage. Attending the protest was 17-year-old Anjali Verma, who criticized lawmakers for ignoring kids who are genuinely concerned that the law would greatly limit their access to resources online.

“We live on the Internet, and we are afraid that important information we’ve accessed all our lives will no longer be available,” Verma said. “We need lawmakers to listen to young people when making decisions that affect us.”

    • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      Do you know how the GDPR is a European thing, but since the Internet is global it affects everyone and we all get those little cookie consent boxes now no matter where on Earth you live?

      KOSA is the same, but way worse.

      • froh42@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        You don’t get cookie check boxes because of GDPR. You’re getting them because companies want to track you, and need to ask if they do so.

        If they don’t want to steal your private info they don’t need cookie check boxes, even under GDPR.

        Additionally, those shitty checkboxes, that take 1000 clicks and 5 minutes if you don’t want to get tracked? Illegal under GDPR. Rejected getting tacked needs to be “as easy” as getting tracked by GDPR law.

        Companies hating their tracking data business going away like to shit on GDPR - and if it’s repeated frequently enough peopme believe it.

        (Btw Kosa sounds really dangerous in itself, I’m not advocating for that)

        • Todd Bonzalez@lemm.ee
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          4 months ago

          and need to ask if they do so.

          Because of the GDPR…

          I understand the point you’re trying to make, but it’s not actually an argument against what I said, you’re just throwing a tantrum because I made a good point that didn’t validate your narrative about laws that affect the Internet.

          • froh42@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            I’m not trying to argue against you, I’m just trying to rally people against crappy business tactics.

            Thanks for the personal attack, though.