WASHINGTON—Today, a group of Senators said they’d be reintroducing the incorrectly branded “Kids Online Safety Act.” Let’s be clear: this proposal is a speech code for the internet. It will increase government censorship and cybersecurity problems for Americans and their families while doing nothing to “keep kids safe.”
Congress should reject it and advance meaningful and lawful legislation for digital security.
“Americans are demanding increased privacy and security protections online without government censorship of their thoughts and ideas. But KOSA totally fails them: it arms bureaucrats with censorship power, puts Americans’ and their children’s sensitive data at risk, and strips parents of their right to decide what’s best for their families online,” said Amy Bos, NetChoice Director of State & Federal Affairs. “To comply, companies would need to conduct identity verification through invasive data collection. This doesn’t protect children—it enables a massive cybersecurity disaster. Meanwhile, similar laws are being struck down by courts in NetChoice cases across the country.”
Bos continued: “KOSA fails to provide meaningful, constitutional solutions and instead offers false promises. Congress should reject it and focus on real reforms that protect us online without sacrificing our freedoms.”
- KOSA threatens free speech by granting the government the power to determine what is “appropriate” for Americans to engage with, setting a dangerous precedent for censorship and infringing upon First Amendment rights. This includes religious speech, controversial political topics, health care inquiries, questioning the status quo, and much more. Courts across the country are recognizing this and are halting similar laws in California, Ohio, Arkansas and more.
- KOSA undermines parental rights by transferring decision-making power from families to federal bureaucrats, replacing parents with an Orwellian “online safety” council that will dictate what Americans can see and say online.
- The bill creates significant cybersecurity risks, because to comply, companies will need to conduct intrusive data collection and identity verification processes that could expose Americans’ and children’s sensitive information to breaches. This is a real threat: children are the number one targets for identity theft, with 25% expected to experience it before they turn 18; the Identity Theft Resource Center reported that over 1.7 billion data breach notices were sent in 2024; and cybercriminals are frequently targeting school districts across the country to gain access to children’s sensitive identity data.
- Despite its intentions, KOSA will fail to enhance online safety for children, lacking meaningful and constitutional protections that genuinely address Americans’ concerns.
- NetChoice urges Congress to reject KOSA and instead focus on effective solutions like passing a federal data privacy standard to ensure all Americans receive protections online, bolstering law enforcement to stop online predators, and encouraging educational initiatives for parents and children on digital safety tools. These will help improve online safety and security while respecting constitutional guarantees.
Congress cannot sidestep constitutional rights, take away parents’ rights and create a massive censorship regime using the blank check of “safety.”
NetChoice is committed to keeping online communication safe and free across America. We hope to work with Congress on real, constitutional solutions to digital challenges.
Please contact press@netchoice.org with inquiries.