Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, joined by attorneys general from 30 other states, called on Congressional leaders today to pass the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) before the year’s end.
The legislation aims to address the growing mental health crisis among youth, which is increasingly linked to extensive social media use. Studies reveal that minors spend over five hours daily online, intensifying concerns about their safety and well-being.
“As the chief legal officers of our states, we’ve seen firsthand how social media companies prioritize profits over our kids’ safety,” said Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “While our offices individually pursue investigations and lawsuits against platforms like Meta and TikTok, we are glad to support the Senate’s bipartisan effort to empower our federal enforcement partners. KOSA provides additional tools to protect our children’s mental health from the negative effects of social media.”
Key Provisions of KOSA
The coalition highlighted several critical features of KOSA designed to protect minors online:
- Mandatory Safety Settings: Platforms would be required to enable the strongest safety protections for minors by default, rather than hiding them behind opt-in options.
- Addiction Prevention: Parents and young users could disable manipulative design features and algorithmic recommendations that encourage excessive screen time.
- Parental Tools: The legislation would equip parents with better tools to monitor harmful behaviors and report dangerous content effectively.
The letter to Congress underscores a broader effort by state attorneys general to hold social media platforms accountable. Several states have launched investigations and lawsuits against major companies, including Meta and TikTok, over their targeting of underage users and their alleged role in exacerbating mental health issues.
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Attorneys general from 31 jurisdictions, including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, and New York, joined Tennessee in urging Congress to act swiftly.
The bipartisan coalition emphasizes the need for federal legislation to complement state-level actions, ensuring comprehensive protections for children across the nation.
The Kids Online Safety Act represents a crucial step toward creating a safer digital environment for minors, empowering parents, and addressing the urgent youth mental health crisis.
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