The Senate passed the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) with a strong bipartisan consensus, aimed at better protecting American kids’ privacy and safety online. While the House is on recess until September, there is a possibility that the bills may become law. COPPA 2.0 updates the 1998 law to include children up to the age of 17 and adds biometric indicators to the definition of personal information. The bill aims to close loopholes that allow companies to track kids without their consent. Critics argue that this may limit advertising to minors and potentially harm the functionality of the internet. KOSA aims to create a duty of care for internet companies to protect children from harmful content online. Critics fear over-censorship and potential political censorship if the bill becomes law. The bill’s history is marked with controversy, including concerns about potential restrictions on information online. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and other critics prefer focusing on a comprehensive digital privacy bill for all Americans rather than bills targeting children. Despite the criticisms, there is widespread support from children’s advocates and health groups for both KOSA and COPPA 2.0.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
