1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am urging you to STOP the passage of the Kids Online Safety Act. This bill imposes unnecessary and harmful restrictions and censorship on the internet, essentially serving as a digital burning of books, while hiding behind the claim of “protecting kids”. KOSA won’t make kids more safe. Instead, it’ll put youth in danger by preventing them from accessing resources they need. Concern about young people’s harm from Big Tech are valid and real, but enabling censorship that harms the most marginalized kids is not the answer. Lawmakers concerned about online safety should reject KOSA and instead work to protect all internet users from abusive tech companies by passing a federal data privacy law and measures that do not threaten online communities that queer and trans youth depend on. Additionally, KOSA would ramp up the online surveillance of all internet users by expanding the use of age verification and parental monitoring tools. Not only are these tools needlessly invasive, they’re a massive safety risk for young people who could be trying to escape domestic violence and abuse.  Dozens of LGBTQ+ and civil rights groups agree that KOSA is dangerous and updates to the bill haven’t addressed the core concerns advocates have about its impact on already often censored content and resources.  If you believe in a free and open internet, please REJECT the Kids Online Safety Act.