A coalition of 31 state attorneys general, spearheaded by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, has come together to urgently petition Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), as reported by theTennessee Attorney General’s office. This bipartisan legislation aims to mitigate the increasing detrimental impact of social media on the mental health of young users, in the wake of data indicating that minors are now spending upwards of five hours online each day.
“As the chief legal officers of our states, we’ve seen firsthand how social media companies prioritize profits over our kids’ safety,” Skrmetti stated, emphasizing the collective action taken by states against tech giants such as Meta and TikTok. Valuing profit-making above the welfare of young consumers, these investigations and court actions have motivated the attorneys general in advocating the Senate’s efforts to fortify federal enforcement with KOSA’s provisions, a statement obtained by theTennessee Attorney General’s office.
These key provisions addressed in the coalition’s letter to Congress include automatic activation of the most stringent safety settings for minors on platforms, tools to curb addictive design elements and algorithmic nudging that keep users scrolling, and the grant of greater power to parents to both monitor and manage the online experiences of their children.
State-level lawsuits and efforts for new laws reflect a growing recognition of the harmful effects of social media on children. From Alabama to Wyoming, state officials are working together to address the complex issues at the intersection of technology, corporate interests, and child welfare, as the influence of digital platforms continues to increase.
The states united in this initiative, in addition to Tennessee, include an array of regions from Alabama to Wyoming – a testimony to the widespread concern regarding the protection of children in digital spaces. This legislative endeavor, if successful, will confer upon both parents and their growing children new methods to guard against the pervasive dangers encountered in an increasingly interconnected environment.
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