The Civic Node

KOSA

4 min read

Definition

The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is a US federal bill, first introduced in 2022 by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), creating a “duty of care” obligation for platforms used by minors to “prevent and mitigate” specified harms (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sexual exploitation, etc.). State attorneys general would have enforcement authority alongside the Federal Trade Commission. Reintroduced multiple times across Congresses; the most recent (119th Congress) version is co-sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Why It Matters for the Newsletter

KOSA is the keystone bill of the contemporary “child online safety” legislative wave (Politics / Power / Technology themes). Its duty of care structure is the legal innovation under critique — opponents argue it converts vague, undefined “harm” into censorship authority that state AGs and a Trump FTC would predictably weaponize against LGBTQ Online Communities, abortion information, and protest organizing. The political coalition supporting it (Senate Democratic leadership + Blackburn-led GOP) makes it a clean case study of right-left convergence under “child protection” framing.

Evidence & Examples

Tensions & Counterarguments

  • KOSA’s authors and many supporters argue it doesn’t mandate age verification, only requires knowing user ages — but critics across this wiki’s sources agree that meaningful compliance is impossible without de facto verification.
  • APA’s own position is internally contradictory: Their May 2023 report Officials say social media is hurting teens — Scientists say it’s complicated found social media effects on teens are “dependent” and may benefit marginalized youth — but the APA also endorsed a key kids’ online safety bill the prior year.
  • Some LGBTQ+ groups withdrew opposition after the “grooming” language was removed and content-design (rather than content-itself) was emphasized in amendments; many — and ACLU, GLSEN, GLAAD, Fight for the Future, Trevor Project (varies) — held firm.
  • KOSA’s defenders argue FOSTA is not a fair analog because the duty-of-care framework targets design features, not content; opponents argue this is a distinction without operational difference.

Key Sources

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