June 21st, 2023 by WCBC Radio

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin has re-introduced the Kids Online Safety Act, which will enhance children’s online safety and hold social media companies accountable. This bipartisan legislation proposes tools and safeguards for children and parents to protect against threats.  WCBC’s Kathy Cornwell has details…

The Kids Online Safety Act requires social media platforms to provide options to protect minor’s information, disable addictive product features, and enable opt-out of some recommendations. Platforms would also have to prevent and mitigate harms to minors including the promotion of self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, and substance abuse.  Platforms would have independent audits to assess risk to minors and whether the platform is taking meaningful steps to prevent those harms.  It also gives parents new controls to identify harmful behaviors. The Kids Online Safety Act has been endorsed by a number of advocacy and technology groups, including Common Sense Media, the American Psychological Association, American Compass, and the Internet Accountability Project.