Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

The U.S. Senate passed two major online child safety reforms on July 30, but the bills face an uncertain future in the House.

The Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act and the Kids Online Safety Act, sometimes called COPPA 2.0 and KOSA, were approved by the upper chamber in a bipartisan 91-3 vote. However, the legislation faces criticism from tech industry groups and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), raising doubts about its support in the GOP-controlled House.

KOSA would create a new obligation of “duty of care,” requiring social media companies to mitigate potential harms to children. COPPA 2.0 would expand parental consent requirements for data collection and ban companies from targeting children with advertising.

Jessica Heldman, a child rights professor at the University of San Diego’s Children’s Advocacy Institute, commented on July 30: “The research is clear that social media puts children at risk.” She added, “They are being bullied, exploited, exposed to drugs and harmful content through platforms designed to keep their attention to the point of causing addiction. The legislation overwhelmingly passed by the Senate today is an important and long-awaited step toward protecting the safety and well-being of children online. Quite simply, it will save lives.”

Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) spearheaded KOSA following reports by The Wall Street Journal that social media companies were aware of risks presented by their platforms to kids, including Instagram’s adverse effects on teen girls' mental health.

Blackburn stated on July 30 that their legislation “provides young people and parents with the tools, safeguards, and transparency they need to protect against online harms.” Blumenthal added that it represents "the first internet safety reform in nearly three decades — a resounding bipartisan achievement showing democracy still works."

COPPA 2.0 was led by Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). In remarks on July 30, Markey said its passage would mean “an end to manipulative personalized ads that trick young people into purchasing unwanted goods and services.” Cassidy noted in a statement: “The internet is an integral part of children’s lives today. It is time our laws reflect this new reality.”

President Joe Biden urged the House to follow suit: “Today, the Senate took a crucial bipartisan step forward to make our kids safer online,” he said on July 30. He emphasized that there is "undeniable evidence" linking social media to youth mental health issues: "Today our children are subjected to a wild west online... It is past time to act."

Biden stated his administration has taken steps against social media harms but needs Congressional action for comprehensive protection: "We need action by Congress...to hold Big Tech accountable for the national experiment they are running on our children for profit." He highlighted that KOSA aligns with his Unity Agenda's call for stronger privacy protections.

However, groups like ACLU criticized KOSA as potentially censoring protected speech. Jenna Leventoff from ACLU argued: “KOSA compounds nationwide attacks on young peoples’ right to learn... The last thing students need is another act of government censorship deciding which educational resources are appropriate.”

The bill's path forward remains unclear as the House recesses until September. Prior to Senate approval, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Axios he aims for consensus within his chamber.