Even With Changes, Kids Online Safety Act Results in Data Collection & Digital Parenting (NetChoice)

By requiring parental consent for users under age 13, online services will need some type of mechanism to verify user ages. Its authors have incorporated language saying age verification isn’t required, yet it still mandates that services bear the legal cost if they fail to block users under 13 that don’t get parental consent. While lawmakers were trying to respond to concerns, unfortunately, how this bill would work in practice still requires an age verification mechanism and data collection on Americans of all ages.

“KOSA will hand the government more power to regulate how Americans of all ages use the internet. Parents, not the government, should be in charge of how their family uses online tools,” said NetChoice Vice President & General Counsel Carl Szabo. “Lawmakers should focus on educating and empowering families to control their online experience.”