Washington – The House Committee on Energy & Commerce has advanced the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) for consideration by the full House of Representatives. The Computer & Communications Industry Association shares lawmakers’ goal of protecting young internet users. Unfortunately, KOSA and COPPA 2.0 would lead to a less safe internet.
Legislative proposals must provide clear guidelines that apply reasonable duties to protect children, without overbearing and ambiguous standards that may be misapplied across the nation. Unfortunately, CCIA believes that KOSA and COPPA 2.0 miss that mark. With the Senate passing a combined version of KOSA and COPPA 2.0 this summer despite broad opposition from industry, academics, and civil rights groups, CCIA believes that stakeholder input must be incorporated before further movement of these bills.
The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Matt Schruers:
“We have long advocated for legislative proposals that protect younger users online and are disappointed that KOSA and COPPA 2.0 risk causing more harm than good.
“KOSA will lead to unnecessary data collection and removal of legitimate expression, including expression by at-risk communities in an effort to guarantee compliance. Legislative proposals should promote online safety without resulting in over-removal of legitimate free expression of marginalized communities.
“We welcome many of the provisions included in COPPA 2.0. That is why we are disappointed that the same unworkable knowledge standard which encumbers KOSA was included in COPPA 2.0. By applying an ambiguous “reasonable” standard which triggers substantial liabilities on most popular companies, COPPA 2.0 will now greatly expand liability for features that are not aimed at children, potentially leading to their removal.”