Kids Online Safety Act: APA leads more than 200 advocates in urging Senate to pass bill

APA and more than 200 organizations are demanding the federal government take action as the United States grapples with a growing youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the negative effects of too much social media and time spent online.

The organizations in technology advocacy, children’s rights, and health sent a letter (PDF, 459KB)opens in new window this week urging Senate leadership to swiftly advance the Kids Online Safety Act (S. 1409opens in new window) out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

The letter outlines the need for regulation of technology companies and more robust privacy protections for young people. It also describes the impact excess time on digital media can have on youth brain development and overall well-being.

[Related: Reducing social media use significantly improves body image in teens, young adults]

The coalition is led by APA, Fairplay, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Center for Digital Democracy, Common Sense Media, the Eating Disorders Coalition, and Mental Health America.

APA released its first-ever health advisory in May, issuing 10 science-based recommendations to guide parents, youth, caregivers, educators, policymakers, health practitioners, and tech companies on the use of social media by adolescents. Later that same month, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory (PDF, 1MB)opens in new window on the effects social media can have on youth mental health.

If passed, the Kids Online Safety Act, often referred to as KOSA, would establish a duty of care for social media companies to protect minors from mental health harms, sexual trafficking, and narcotics. Additionally, the bill would require companies to go through independent external audits, allow researcher access to platform data assets, and create substantial youth and parental controls to create a safer digital environment.

“The Kids Online Safety Act takes important steps toward curtailing the harms posed to youth by social media use and content, while seeking to retain the benefits,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr, PhD. “The legislation also creates important new access for psychological researchers to data held by social media companies that is essential to further understanding the platforms’ impact on children. We look forward to working with Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act.”