The Senate on Tuesday is poised to pass a pair of children’s online safety bills — a rare sign of bipartisan cooperation in the middle of a volatile and acrimonious presidential campaign. But the legislation won’t make it to President Joe Biden’s desk anytime soon. The House has just begun its six-week summer recess and won’t return to Washington until September 9th, and while he’s supportive of the “purpose” of the bills, Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-Louisiana) said he’s still reviewing the legislation and hasn’t scheduled a vote. The two bills — known as the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, and the Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA 2.0, — represent the most significant congressional action in decades to regulate social media’s impact on children and teens. KOSA, written by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee) would require social media companies to provide better protections for users under age 17. It also would require companies to provide guardians with more control over minors’ use of a platform and prevent certain features, such as autoplay. And it would require companies to give users a dedicated page to report harmful content. COPPA 2.0, written by Senators Ed Markey, (D-Massachusetts) and Bill Cassidy, (R-Louisiana) would create stronger online privacy protections for anyone under age 17. It would also bar targeted advertising to kids and teens and create an eraser button for parents and kids by requiring companies to allow users to delete information.
The Senate is also expected to confirm the nomination of Stacey D. Neumann to be United States District Judge for the District of Maine.
