Daines joins 32 senators to offer bill protecting online safety of kids, teens

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and a bipartisan group of 32 lawmakers on May 2 proposed the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act to protect the safety of America’s children online. 

“Montana children are the future of our state and our country,” Sen. Daines said. “That’s why it is essential that we do everything possible to empower parents with the proper tools to protect their children from dangers online.”

If enacted, S. 1409 also would hold Big Tech accountable by requiring independent audits by experts and academic researchers to certify that social media platforms are taking meaningful steps to address risks to kids, according to a bill summary provided by the lawmakers.

Sen. Daines cosponsored S. 1409, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), alongside 31 other original cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Todd Young (R-IN).

The bill would require that social media platforms provide minors with options to protect their information, disable “addictive” product features, and opt out of algorithmic recommendations, the summary says.

Additionally, platforms would be required to enable the strongest settings by default, and would give parents new controls to help support their children and identify harmful behaviors, states the summary. 

Parents and children also would be provided with a dedicated channel to report harms to kids to the platform, and social media platforms would have to perform an annual independent audit that assesses the risks to minors, their compliance with the legislation, and whether the platform is taking meaningful steps to prevent those harms, among other provisions, according to the summary.

The Kids Online Safety Act is supported by hundreds of advocacy and technology groups, including Common Sense Media, the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Compass, the Eating Disorders Coalition, Fairplay, Mental Health America, and the Digital Progress Institute, among others.

S. 1409 has been referred to the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee for consideration.