Assessing Child Online Safety Legislation (American Action Forum)

While these bills are intended to make the online experience safer for minors, they are not likely to achieve their stated goals, and may well degrade the internet experience for all users. For example, some provisions in these bills would force websites to collect and retain sensitive user data, as well as push websites to limit access to content or gate services based on subjective assessments of harm. These requirements would erode the quality of online services for users of all ages and even jeopardize children’s private information.

This insight explains how each bill would attempt to make the internet safer for children and examines how such attempts could exacerbate existing harms – and may create new ones. It also considers alternative approaches to addressing concerns about children’s safety, such as passing a federal online privacy standard, reviewing the specific technologies drawing criticism from lawmakers, and improving existing resources for digital literacy to help children safely navigate the internet.