WASHINGTON—Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker and Heritage Foundation Tech Policy Center Director Kara Frederick released the following statements today applauding the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce for advancing the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Heritage Action urges the House to move forward and consider the bill on the floor.
Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker:
“American children are not for sale. But for years, Big Tech companies have taken advantage of the addictive nature of their platforms to keep kids scrolling and exploit the value of their data at the expense of kids’ mental health.
“Protecting children from online threats is one of the biggest issues of our time, so it is incumbent on all members who care about the next generation to step up and support KOSA. Heritage Action applauds Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and the House Energy and Commerce Committee for advancing the bill."
Heritage Foundation Tech Policy Center Director Kara Frederick:
“The House Energy and Commerce Committee should be commended for its leadership in advancing the Kids Online Safety Act. They have answered the call of the American people: protect our children from Big Tech. If it becomes law, parents across the country will finally get the critical tools they need to shield their children in today’s digital age.”
In July, Heritage Action issued a Key Vote urging senators to support KOSA and a companion social media bill, the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), when the legislation was moving through the chamber. Following Heritage Action’s endorsement, the package passed the Senate 91-3.
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) are two crucial ways to curb the destructive power of Big Tech companies, a goal Heritage has supported for years. Frederick, a former Facebook executive, has hailed KOSA for mitigating “...future fallout from Big Tech’s reckless push for growth at the expense of America’s kids.”
Social media platforms are highly addictive and have a proven link to poor mental health outcomes in children and teens, especially teenage girls. A 2023 University of North Carolina study found that social media use can rewire the brains of children as young as 12 years old.
BACKGROUND:
The Heritage Foundation: Parents to Big Tech: “We Want Our Children Back!”
The Heritage Foundation: Social Media Is Hurting Kids, but a Fix May Be on Horizon
Senator Marsha Blackburn: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Growing Momentum For The Kids Online Safety Act