I am writing to urge you to oppose the inclusion of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) provisions within current legislative discussions. While I understand the intention behind this bill is to protect children online, the specific mechanisms proposed in KOSA would fundamentally undermine digital privacy, expand state surveillance, and endanger the very youth it claims to protect.
Based on analysis from digital rights advocates at StopKOSA.org and Fight for the Future, my primary concerns are:
1. It Expands Surveillance and Violates Privacy KOSA relies heavily on broad age verification and mandatory parental monitoring tools to enforce its rules. These measures do not create a safer internet; they normalize the invasive scanning of all users' data. Instead of protecting minors, this creates a massive surveillance infrastructure that compromises the anonymity and security of every internet user. For many young people—particularly those fleeing domestic violence or abuse—this loss of anonymity could be life-threatening.
2. The "Duty of Care" Model Leads to Censorship The bill's core "duty of care" mandate is dangerously vague. It forces platforms to proactively filter content deemed potentially harmful to minors. Because there is no consensus on what constitutes "harm," this will inevitably lead platforms to aggressively censor content to avoid liability. This mirrors the damaging effects seen with previous legislation like SESTA/FOSTA, where broad mandates caused platforms to scrub vital resources to stay safe.
3. It Endangers LGBTQ+ and Marginalized Youth The most concerning aspect of KOSA is its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities. By pressuring platforms to remove content that could be interpreted as inappropriate, the bill incentivizes the removal of lifesaving support networks, mental health resources, and community spaces for LGBTQ+ youth. In an era where access to gender-affirming care and sex education is already under attack across the country, stripping away these digital lifelines is reckless and dangerous.
My Request Instead of passing KOSA, Congress should focus on passing comprehensive, federal data privacy legislation that protects all users without mandating surveillance or enabling censorship. We cannot accept a solution where the safety of some is purchased with the rights and lives of others.
I ask that you vote against any version of the bill that includes the current KOSA provisions and instead advocate for privacy-first solutions that do not sacrifice free speech or vulnerable populations.
Thank you for your time and attention to this critical issue.
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