Senate urged to drop the controversial Kids Online Safety Act

On Aug. 5, the Senate Commerce Committee is set to mark up the Kids Online Safety Act, a bill that has repeatedly failed to become law and faces ongoing constitutional challenges. The Senate's draft keeps the duty-of-care clause, which opponents say enables government censorship of lawful speech. In contrast, the House version removed that provision, attempting to reshape the bill but still drawing criticism for its underlying premise.

Prominent figures such as Mike Johnson, Kat Cammack, and Marsha Blackburn have voiced concerns about the bill's potential to silence conservative voices. Advocacy groups like the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Competitive Enterprise Institute highlight the bill's alignment with the Center for Countering Digital Hate's agenda. The article argues that rather than continually revising a flawed proposal, legislators should discard KOSA and develop a new approach to online safety.