Senate expected to pass bill to protect kids online

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO PASS LEGISLATION TUESDAY – THAT WILL PROTECT CHILDREN FROM WHAT’S CONSIDERED DANGEROUS ONLINE CONTENT. 

THE BILL – WHICH HAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT – HAS BEEN CHAMPIONED BY PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN DIED BY SUICIDE DUE TO ONLINE BULLYING. 

IT WOULD FORCE WEBSITES AND APPS USED OFTEN BY KIDS AND TEENS – LIKE POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS – TO TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT PROTECT MINORS ONLINE… BY DEFAULTING TO THE SAFEST SETTINGS POSSIBLE. 

THE HOUSE HAS NOT YET TAKEN UP ITS OWN VERSION OF THE BILL – BUT REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON HAS SAID HE’D LOOK OVER THE SENATE’S BILL AND TRY TO COME TO A CONSENSUS. 

IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW… SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE MINORS WITH OPTIONS TO PROTECT THEIR INFORMATION… DISABLE ADDICTIVE PRODUCT FEATURES… AND OPT OUT OF PERSONALIZED ALGORITHMIC RECOMMENDATIONS. 

THEY WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO LIMIT OTHER USERS FROM COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN –  AND LIMIT ADDICTIVE FEATURES LIKE PLATFORM REWARDS OR AUTOPLAY FOR VIDEOS. 

SOME BIG TECH COMPANIES – LIKE MICROSOFT, X, AND SNAP –  SAY THEY SUPPORT THE BILL. 

META – WHICH OWNS FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM – HAS NOT PUBLICLY TAKEN A POSITION.