July 30 (UPI) — The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday that would regulate tech and social media companies that provide services for minors.
Called the Kids Online Safety Act, the measure would require online platforms and social media to safeguard minors by restricting access to their personal data.
“There is undeniable evidence that social media and other online platforms contribute to our youth mental health crisis,” President Joe Biden said Tuesday in an online statement.
“It is past time to act,” Biden said. “We need action by Congress to protect our kids online and hold big tech accountable for the national experiment they are running on our children for profit.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the proposed act would not block content but instead creates a safe-by-design online environment for children and minors.
The measure would ensure parents have the tools needed to supervise their children’s online use, including controlling their account and privacy settings.
The proposed act also would limit available features used by online platforms and social media to encourage use by kids, such as rewarding them for spending more time online and sending notifications to encourage for respective sites or social media.
The Senate voted 91-3 to approve the act and send it to the House of Representatives for consideration when that legislative body reconvenes in September.
Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, voted against the bill’s passage.