07.31.24

Hoeven: Senate Passes Legislation to Enhance Safety, Privacy of Minors Online

Senator Cosponsored Bill Requiring Online Platforms to Protect Against Specific Harms to Children & Teens, Better Empower Parents

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the Senate passed legislation, which includes a bill he cosponsored, to better protect minors from threats online. Specifically, the bipartisan measures include:

  • The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which Hoeven cosponsored and was introduced by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn to:
    • Prevent and mitigate access to specific harms to minors on online platforms, including suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation and the advertising of unlawful products for minors.
    • Require platforms to provide parents with tools to manage their child’s information, safety settings and usage limits, among other priorities, while enabling the strongest privacy settings by default.
    • Direct the National Academies and the Federal Trade Commission to study the impact of social media on youth, including harms related to mental health disorders, addiction, and sexual exploitation. 
  • The Children and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which was introduced by Senators Ed Markey and Bill Cassidy to:
    • Prohibit companies from using targeted ads on minors.
    • Limit the online collection or retention of personal information from children and teens, beyond what is required to fulfill a transaction or service.
    • Prohibit the storage or transfer of a minor’s information outside of the U.S. without parental notification.
    • Require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on the privacy of teens who use financial technology products.

          “With the rise of social media, children and teens face a new set of challenges that previous generations did not have to grapple with, and which can pose a significant threat to their health, safety and long-term well-being,” said Hoeven. “This legislation takes responsible, measured steps to hold online platforms accountable for the content that minors can access on their sites, while better empowering parents to ensure their children remain safe online.”

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