Attorney General Letitia James is rallying the troops 32 state attorneys general, to be precise to urge Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). In a bipartisan battle cry for the safety of kids online, the coalition seeks to create a digital environment that considers the mental and emotional wellbeing of America’s youth. According to a press release by theNew York State Attorney General’s Office, the proposed federal KOSA would disable notably addictive elements on social media platforms, like autoplay videos and algorithm-driven rewards, and importantly, enable young users and their guardians to opt out of algorithmic recommendations.
As per theAttorney General’s statement, these changes are seen as a necessary step to protect kids who are, on average, spending over five hours a day online. “Young people everywhere are struggling, and we know that social media is largely to blame,” James told the press. These comments highlight the urgent need to respond to a national youth mental health crisis that many believe is being amplified by social media’s targeting of minors. The deep dive to comprehensively ensure safety measures extend to all underage users reinforces James’s commitment to not only set, but also to ensure a strictly enforced baseline of protection. With states like New York inching forward with tougher legislation on the tech giant’s home turf, the provision to protect these more stringent state laws from federal preemption remains a linchpin in the national framework of cyber-safety for kids.
Taking a tough stance on tech is not new territory for AG James. Last month, she spearheaded lawsuits against TikTok for its negative impact on young people’s mental health. This action is consistent with her pattern of going head-to-head with the giants of social media, as outlined by theNew York State Attorney General’s Office, which includes challenging Meta on account takeovers and advocating for warning labels on platforms. The New York laws she backed, such as the SAFE for Kids Act and the New York Child Data Protection Act, are already in process and set to establish privacy rules and enforce penalties against the use of addictive algorithmic feeds for users under 18.
Attorneys general from states nationwide, from Alabama to Wyoming, have joined New York in signing a letter to Congress addressing how social media platforms engage with minors. This bipartisan collaboration highlights growing concern over corporate algorithms and their potential impact on youth behavior online.
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