Heritage Action urges House panel to advance kids' online safety bill

Heritage Action for America, the advocacy arm of conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, urged the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Friday to advance legislation meant to boost kids’ safety and privacy online. 

In a letter to committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Heritage Action President Kevin Roberts argued that the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) “represents our best opportunity to implement meaningful protections for children online this Congress.” 

The legislation, which would create a duty for social media platforms to prevent and mitigate harms to minors, passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote in late July. It was part of a package that also included the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act, which would increase data privacy protections for minors.

However, the bill has stalled in the House amid resistance from leadership due to concerns within the Republican conference.

“With such broad bipartisan support, KOSA is uniquely positioned to advance and protect the next generation,” Roberts said. 

“Advancing this bill through a committee markup would demonstrate a strong commitment to the conservative principles of protecting children and empowering parents,” he added.  

With Congress briefly back in session this month before a pre-election recess, parents whose children have died or been seriously harmed as a result of social media are also pushing the House panel to mark up the bill before the end of the work period. 

A group of parents, led by advocacy group ParentsTogether, delivered a petition in support of KOSA signed by more than 100,000 parents and boxes containing messages from parents about online safety to members of House leadership and the Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday.