A contentious kids safety bill might be getting gutted — and nobody’s happy
TL;DR
The Kids Online Safety Act may be revived without its key duty of care provision, which aimed to hold platforms accountable for protecting children from online harms like cyberbullying and sextortion.
One of the biggest flashpoints for internet regulation, the Kids Online Safety Act, is poised for a revival - but possibly without the central feature that's kept people fighting over it for the past three years.
Since 2022, supporters of KOSA have backed its plan to require web platforms to protect kids from a variety of online harms, imposing what's known as a duty of care. That faction includes parents whose children have died after experiencing cyberbullying, becoming victims of sextortion, or obtaining illegal drugs online. They believe the prospect of new legal liability could make companies change their policies to prevent more trage …