Staff Reports
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has decided to pick a fight with Big Tech by pushing for a pair of bipartisan bills aimed at protecting children online, and he hopes to get them passed before lawmakers flee Washington for the August recess. If these bills make it over the finish line, it’ll be the first time since the 1990s that legislators update kids’ privacy protections on the internet—a timely move considering the world has changed just a tad since the days of dial-up.
Naturally, this isn’t the first rodeo for these bills. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn had a version of the Kids Online Safety Act floating around since 2022, but like some bad reality show cycle, it just kept getting stalled. With the latest updates launched amid a flurry of congressional hearings and investigations, the bill aims to empower parents and kids with more tools and safeguards against online dangers like suicide, sexual exploitation, and eating disorders. Sounds good on paper, but how effective will it really be when Big Tech is essentially the ringmaster of this circus?
One of the more eyebrow-raising twists in the legislative journey is that recent changes have transferred enforcement powers away from state attorneys general, positioning the Federal Trade Commission as the heavyweight enforcer. It’s as if they’ve decided to hand over the keys to a sports car to a teenager with a shaky permit. While the intent is to make the internet safer for the younger demographics, concerns about content filtering and potential overreach are dancing in the background. Will we see a digital nanny state? Only time will tell.
Adding to the tech smackdown, Senate discussions will also focus on the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act. This bill aims to keep websites from collecting personal information from users under 17, effectively extending age protections. Supporters of the bill claim it addresses a dire need to safeguard vulnerable populations from Big Tech’s predatory practices. Critics, however, might roll their eyes and question if this is merely a distraction tactic to avoid real issues that plague the digital landscape.
Schumer seems to be working hard to give these bills a fighting chance. Together with some friendly bipartisanship on the topic, there is an underlying acknowledgment that this legislation might just be the perfect opportunity to score political points. Democrats are keen on showcasing their ability to pass “meaningful” legislation in an election year, redirecting attention from their increasingly unpopular positions on issues like border security and crime. In the arena of public opinion, they are attempting to position Republicans as the villains resisting child protection in cyberspace. That’s some prime political theater right there, complete with all the drama expected from Capitol Hill.
Washington Examiner: Senate to consider biggest tech regulation in decades to protect children online https://t.co/0kTGbOipb8
— Ian Hansen 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenFeed) July 23, 2024
With both sides of the aisle seemingly united in the noble goal of safeguarding children, supporters are championing these bills as the game-changer for Internet safety. Yet, the possibility of the House dropping the ball looms large—a classic tale of “pass it in the Senate, watch it stall in the House.” If that happens, then even a robust Senate vote won’t mean much more than a collective sigh, as everyone turns their attention to the next viral TikTok trend. Meanwhile, parents around the country just hope Congress gets it right—because, after all, protecting kids from the online wild west should not be another politicized battleground.
