Senate Passes Kids' Online Safety Bills 91-3

The U.S. Senate has passed two significant online safety bills, the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), with a resounding 91-3 vote. This legislation aims to protect minors from harmful online content and prevent tech companies from collecting minors' data for advertising purposes. KOSA mandates platforms to implement features that safeguard against cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, and other dangers, while COPPA 2.0 bans targeted ads to minors and allows parents to delete their children's personal information from platforms. Despite bipartisan support, the bills face criticism from free-speech advocates and tech industry representatives who argue that the measures could lead to over-censorship and privacy issues. The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, where its future remains uncertain. If enacted, this would be the first major regulation on social media to protect children in over two decades.