New York Attorney General Letitia James, along with a bipartisan coalition of 32 attorneys general, has called on Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). The proposed legislation aims to protect children from emerging technologies and certain features used by social media companies. In a letter addressed to congressional leaders, the coalition emphasized the importance of including a provision in KOSA that would not override state laws offering stronger protections. This is particularly relevant given New York's recent efforts to combat addictive social media algorithms.
Attorney General James stated, "Young people everywhere are struggling, and we know that social media is largely to blame." She highlighted her role in advancing legislation in New York designed to shield young users from addictive platforms, noting its influence on similar initiatives in other states. James expressed support for KOSA but stressed the need for states to retain the ability to implement more comprehensive safeguards as necessary.
The coalition underscored the urgency of federal action in addressing what they describe as a national youth mental health crisis linked to social media use. They criticized social media companies for making their platforms addictive and selling minors' data without adequate disclosure of risks. With children reportedly spending over five hours daily online, the attorneys general urged Congress to enact measures ensuring better online safety for minors.
If enacted, KOSA would deactivate some addictive features on social media platforms and allow users and parents to opt out of algorithmic recommendations. It would also mandate that platforms default to high safety settings for minor accounts and provide new parental tools for online protection. Attorney General James and her colleagues praised these proposals, along with updates facilitating state enforcement.
New York's legislation, championed by Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Nily Rozic and signed by Governor Hochul, empowers the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to draft rules enhancing children's online privacy protections. The SAFE for Kids Act requires limiting addictive feeds for underage users unless parental consent is provided. The New York Child Data Protection Act restricts data collection from minors without informed consent or necessity.
The letter was co-signed by attorneys general from several states including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota Oklahoma Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Utah Vermont Wyoming
Attorney General James has been active nationally in safeguarding Americans online. Recent actions include leading coalitions against TikTok over mental health concerns and urging Congress for warning labels on social media platforms following advice from the U.S. Surgeon General. She has also been involved in lawsuits against Meta related to youth mental health issues and has investigated online platforms' roles in events like the Buffalo mass shooting.