Washington D.C., September 18, 2024 — Today, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a full committee markup in which they approved the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The following statement can be attributed to Internet Works Executive Director Peter Chandler:
“Internet Works strongly shares the important goal of keeping children safe online, while protecting the data and privacy of all users. With that in mind, Internet Works continues to have concerns about KOSA and its unintended consequences on small and medium-sized companies’ ability to serve and protect their users. In a letter sent to House Energy and Commerce leadership earlier this summer, we expressed some of our concerns, including the insufficient clarity of the scope of KOSA, an implied requirement for age verification throughout the bill, issues with the duty of care provision, and more.
“We have worked with many members of this committee and both chambers of Congress to provide substantive input on this and other legislation and make sure the voice of small and medium-sized tech companies is represented in these conversations. Throughout the 118th Congress, we have supported legislation like the REPORT Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President, that balances that important goal while protecting the ability of small and medium-sized companies to compete. We have also endorsed the Invest In Child Safety Act and the TAKE IT DOWN Act, and we urge Congress to pass these important bills before the end of the year.
“We further ask for more consideration of the current bill as it moves through the process and remain committed to working with lawmakers to craft legislation that fosters trust and promotes safety online for all users while ensuring a flourishing and vibrant internet ecosystem where small and medium-sized businesses can thrive.”