Memphis Standard

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) held a virtual press conference with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Representative Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) following the Senate passage of the Kids Online Safety Act, marking the first major reform to the tech industry since 1998. The legislation received overwhelming support, with 91 Senators voting in favor.

Senator Blackburn emphasized the significance of the day, stating, “This has been a big day in the U.S. Senate.” She elaborated on the act's objectives: “The Kids Online Safety Act will do a few things that need desperately to be done. It will require safety by design. It will require a duty of care from these social media companies. It will give parents and kids a toolbox so they can better protect themselves and open these algorithms so that people will be able to see what is happening in these algorithmic black boxes.”

Senator Blumenthal highlighted the broader implications of the legislation: “For the first time in almost three decades, Congress is taking action to protect against abuses on the internet, and we’re doing so by breaking the grip of Big Tech.” He added, “We’re in the midst of a mental health crisis... That mental health crisis is aggravated and exasperated by social media.”

Senate Majority Leader Schumer expressed gratitude towards those who supported the bill: “I want to thank Senators Blumenthal and Blackburn… for the tremendous work they did to get us here.” He also acknowledged parents' contributions: “Even more important, I want to thank the parents who tirelessly advocated for these bills... There is no pain worse and suffering for a parent than losing a child.”

Senator Cruz described the bipartisan nature of this legislative victory: “This is legislation that was much needed... The phones that we give our children are a portal to just about every evil force on the face of the planet.” He asserted, “There is no First Amendment right to target kids for abuse.”

Representative Castor stressed urgency: “Americans are hungry for this kind of bipartisan leadership... Passing KOSA should be job one now for the House… We don’t have time to put this off any longer.”

The Kids Online Safety Act was initially introduced by Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal in February 2022 after reports by The Wall Street Journal and multiple subcommittee hearings addressing tech giants' failures to protect minors online. The act mandates platforms enable strong privacy settings by default, mitigate specific dangers to minors, provide new controls for parents and educators, and conduct independent audits.