Senators introduce online kids’ safety bill

A new proposal backed by bipartisan senators would require social media platforms to take additional measures to keep children under 16 safe online.

Bipartisan backing: The Kids Online Safety Act, introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), builds on months of momentum in Congress for social media platforms to take accountability for risks posed to children — especially after a Facebook whistleblower released internal company documents.

The legislation calls for social media platforms to provide families with tools and additional transparency aimed at protecting children online.

For example, the legislation would require platforms to limit the ability of individuals to contact or find a minor, as well as prevent individuals from viewing a minor’s personal data collected by or shared on the platform.

It would also require companies to limit features that “increase, sustain or extend the use” of the platform by a minor, such as automatic playing options or “rewards” for time spent on the platform, and to allow minors to opt-out of algorithmic recommendation systems.

In some cases, platforms already have certain options for these features. The bill, however, would require that the “strongest settings” are enabled by default for minors.