Source: The American Conservative
by James R Lawrence, III
“The proposed bi-partisan Kids Online Safety Act purports to address concerns that social media exacerbates depression, eating disorders, and a host of other mental health problems among our nation’s youth. Sixty-five Senators, including conservative [sic] stalwarts such as Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Ohio’s J.D. Vance have co-sponsored the bill, and Joe Biden endorsed it at the State of the Union. On April 9, Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida, together with Representatives Kathy Castor of Florida, Erin Houchin of Indiana, and Kim Schrier of Washington, introduced it to the lower chamber. On the surface, this bill seems appealing. Who could oppose children’s safety and mental health? Unfortunately, KOSA exploits this concern to incentivize censorship and fund research that is likely to be used to advocate for more speech suppression.” (04/27/24)