Kids Online Safety Act: A means of monitoring children's use of social media apps

Abstract

The Kid's Online Safety Act was recently introduced as a bipartisan proposal to decrease the potential of harm to children while online. This act places the responsibility on tech companies to implement controls on the content that is available to children aged 16 and under. Specific targets of the legislation are content that promotes harmful behaviors such as restricted eating, substance use, or promotion of self‐harm; any sharing of a minor's personal information; marketing that targets a minor's information; and algorithms that promote specific content for children. Further, it would limit a company's ability to extend rewards for increased use of a platform or time spent online. It would also allow creation of a program that would give researchers access to data from companies, enabling additional research on children's technology use and effects on well‐being. And lastly, companies would be required to conduct yearly audits on the risk of their platforms to minors (Washington Post, tech policy, 2022). In short, the legislature mandates a “duty to care” (Npr.org, 2022)