Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal have issued a statement following the announcement by X CEO Linda Yaccarino regarding updated text for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The revisions aim to enhance protections for free speech, particularly for minors online.

According to the senators, "Led by X, the new changes made to the Kids Online Safety Act strengthen the bill while safeguarding free speech online and ensuring it is not used to stifle expression." They further stated that these updates should dispel concerns about potential misuse of the bill by bureaucrats to censor Americans. They expressed gratitude towards Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino for their leadership in protecting children online and advancing this legislation through Congress.

The revised KOSA text is available for public viewing. It emphasizes that the act will not censor or remove internet content nor grant authority to the FTC or state attorneys general to initiate lawsuits over content or speech. The bill has been crafted to withstand First Amendment scrutiny as it remains content neutral.

The call from X and Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal is clear: they urge Congress to pass KOSA before year-end, citing strong congressional support for this legislation.