KOSA Bill: Trojan Horse for Censorship?
Submitted by MAGA Student
Posted 2 days ago
Republicans and Democrats are joining forces to support a bill that could lead to increased censorship and political propaganda under the guise of protecting children online.
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), sponsored by Marsha Blackburn (R-CN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), aims to impose sweeping new obligations on digital platforms to prevent harm to minors. However, critics warn that this could be a Trojan horse for censorship and propaganda.
The bill would require social media companies to turn off features for minors that could lead to "addiction-like" behaviors. However, critics argue that this could hinder minors' access to important information.
The New York Times recently ran a piece highlighting a lawsuit by state attorneys general against Facebook for its alleged harm to children. The lawsuit enjoys the support of over a dozen GOP state AGs and thirty-three GOP co-sponsors in the Senate.
One can only guess that the Republicans supporting such measures believe that anything that inconveniences or imposes additional burdens on tech companies is strategically desirable. However, some in the GOP are vulnerable to the trap of supporting any measure that is inconvenient for a big tech company, even when such a measure has the effect of increasing censorship and further empowering the left.
The bill would also establish a Task Force on Kids Online Health and Safety that would work on mitigating mental health harms caused by social media companies. This Task Force would explicitly follow the recommendations established in a report of the US Surgeon General on "Social Media and Youth Mental Health."
Critics warn that the bill could be used as a Trojan horse to allow for more political meddling and censorship. They point to the fact that the bill goes out of its way to make video games a target for regulation, which has been a battleground for censorship in the past.
The bill would also call for government bureaucrats to issue additional guidance for schoolteachers to promote the aims of the bill. This has raised concerns about the government's role in promoting "media literacy," which some see as a new form of censorship.
In short, the KOSA bill is a Trojan horse for censorship and propaganda under the guise of protecting children online. Republicans and Democrats should be wary of supporting such measures, as they could have far-reaching consequences for free speech and political expression.
Sources:
revolver.news
independentsentinel.com
westernjournal.com
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), sponsored by Marsha Blackburn (R-CN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), aims to impose sweeping new obligations on digital platforms to prevent harm to minors. However, critics warn that this could be a Trojan horse for censorship and propaganda.
The bill would require social media companies to turn off features for minors that could lead to "addiction-like" behaviors. However, critics argue that this could hinder minors' access to important information.
The New York Times recently ran a piece highlighting a lawsuit by state attorneys general against Facebook for its alleged harm to children. The lawsuit enjoys the support of over a dozen GOP state AGs and thirty-three GOP co-sponsors in the Senate.
One can only guess that the Republicans supporting such measures believe that anything that inconveniences or imposes additional burdens on tech companies is strategically desirable. However, some in the GOP are vulnerable to the trap of supporting any measure that is inconvenient for a big tech company, even when such a measure has the effect of increasing censorship and further empowering the left.
The bill would also establish a Task Force on Kids Online Health and Safety that would work on mitigating mental health harms caused by social media companies. This Task Force would explicitly follow the recommendations established in a report of the US Surgeon General on "Social Media and Youth Mental Health."
Critics warn that the bill could be used as a Trojan horse to allow for more political meddling and censorship. They point to the fact that the bill goes out of its way to make video games a target for regulation, which has been a battleground for censorship in the past.
The bill would also call for government bureaucrats to issue additional guidance for schoolteachers to promote the aims of the bill. This has raised concerns about the government's role in promoting "media literacy," which some see as a new form of censorship.
In short, the KOSA bill is a Trojan horse for censorship and propaganda under the guise of protecting children online. Republicans and Democrats should be wary of supporting such measures, as they could have far-reaching consequences for free speech and political expression.
Sources:
revolver.news
independentsentinel.com
westernjournal.com
