The White House launched an initiative this week highlighting that about 95% of teenagers and 40% of children between ages 8 and 12 use some form of social media. The Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force released best practices for families and the industry. It called for more industry accountability and for Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA).
KOSA would be the first law aiming to protect children online since 1998. It would set regulations for social media companies with users who are minors. The bill would also require platforms to offer options for minors to protect their information and disable addictive features by default.
Danny Weiss, Chief Advocacy Officer for Common Sense Media, says KOSA is a compromise but a needed bill. He suggests parents start with one recommendation from the report, like engaging with their kid about the content they’re consuming.
Pushing for children’s online safety
Hari Ravichandran, CEO of Aura and founder of iSubscribed, emphasizes the need for honest conversations about social media with teens. He says the report’s “5 Cs”—child, content, calm, crowding out, and communication—resonate well with him as steps towards healthier tech habits. Dane Witbeck, Founder and CEO of Pinwheel, believes there are better ideas than the bill’s approach, like “content nutritional labels.” These would provide research-backed information on the potential effects of apps, similar to food labels.
Alfiee Breland-Noble, Psychologist and Author, says the guidelines naming the harms faced by youth of color show a critical area of future research. However, she believes more attention should be paid to the unique online harms faced by LGBTQ youth of color and those with disabilities. Jennifer Kelman, JustAnswer Parenting & Mental Health Expert and LCSW, says parents often feel powerless to place restrictions on their children’s device use, even when seeing harm.
She says it’s essential to gain the skills and conviction to set necessary boundaries. The discussion surrounding online safety for children continues to evolve. While legislative and industry efforts represent steps forward, the engagement and proactive measures taken by parents and communities remain crucial.
