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The Senate voted overwhelmingly to compel social media companies to protect children online. How will these bills fare in the House?

From The Wall Street Journal. The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that would require technology companies to take steps to protect children from harmful content on the internet, but the effort faces an uncertain fate in the House because of concerns about free speech.

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Senators voted 91 to 3 to approve the Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, ending a yearslong debate in the chamber over the legislation. The proposal would require that companies provide children under 17 with the strictest-possible safety guardrails on their platforms as a default—to help them avoid addictive algorithms and messages from strangers.

The package would charge the Federal Trade Commission with deciding what is considered to be harmful content. That provision concerns groups on the right and left who worry that a politicized FTC could censor antiabortion content or content related to gender and sexuality.

If the two bills become law, they would mark Congress’s first major new regulation of children’s internet use in decades. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill frequently slam social-media companies for endangering children, but haven’t passed legislation designed to police the industry, which runs a sophisticated Washington lobbying operation. …

The Kids Online Safety Act, known as KOSA, which was introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.), assigns platforms a “duty of care” for minors, pushing them to take steps to address mental health disorders, addiction-like behaviors, bullying, sexual exploitation, deceptive marketing practices and the promotion of drugs and alcohol.

It sets up a number of guardrails for platforms to offer minors: Companies would be mandated to allow children to limit the ability of others to communicate with them; to hide their personal data; to avoid features that “increase, sustain, or extend use” of the platform; and to opt out of personalized recommendation systems.

When a user is known to be a minor, the Kids Online Safety Act would force platforms to implement the strictest privacy and safety options by default.

The legislation has faced criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union and other First Amendment groups, which argue that it is an online censorship bill. By being ordered to limit harmful design features, those companies might censor politicized content, the organizations say. …

“The government is still determining what content is and isn’t okay for kids to see,” said Jenna Leventoff, who leads the ACLU’s policy surrounding the Kids Online Safety Act. “And that’s always going to be ripe for abuse.” …

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) hasn’t committed to holding a vote on the legislation. …

What do you think of these bills? Share your thoughts and prayers below.

(Excerpt from The Wall Street Journal. Photo Credit: Mayer Tawfik on Unsplash)

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Glenda
August 1, 2024

I believe that this is way overdue and that our children MUST be protected. It is very difficult to keep kids away from evil when they are online. Thank you for doing something about this VERY IMPORTANT issue.

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Chaplain S.R. Closs, DDiv, MSBS, NCCA
August 1, 2024

Lord Jesus, while evil still roams, the power of Your Name and Your Blood rises up to defeat and bring us victory against every evil planned to target our children. While malicious actions may disturb us, we use the Armor of God You have given us to stand firm. I trust, that You will bring justice in due time for all the harm and needless violence aimed against our children. Until then, we remain in Your Presence, aligned with Your Purposes, and we look to You as our Supreme Commander and Protector. Lord Jesus, help our children avoid temptation, and deliver them from the evil one. You are the Mighty One, the One who will ultimately bring all evil to light. With You, Lord Jesus, our children will be safe. In Your mighty and holy Name, and by Your authority, I pray. Amen.

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RICH
August 1, 2024

ABOUT TIME. BUT I AM AFRAID IT’S A DOLLAR SHORT AND A DAY LATE.YOUMUST FORCE MEN LIKE JEFF BEZOS, MARK ZUCKERBERG, BILL GATES AND MANY MORE TO SUBMIT TO THE CONSTITUTION, THEY ARE ABLE, TODAY, TO OPERATE WITHOUT CONSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS. THEY ARE COMMUNIST TRAITORS AND SHOULD BE TREATED THAT WAY. SO GOD I ASK THAT YOU MOVE IN OUR GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION ON THESE CORRUPT COWARDLY TRAITOROUS CORPORATIONS, FROM MEDIA TO BIG PHARMA. LORD GOD HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
I ASK IN JESUS’NAME
AMEN

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Sarah
August 1, 2024

Dear God, please protect our children on-line from predators and evil content that can destroy them from within and take away their childhood innocence.

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