As part of a push to protect children online, new child-safety legislation is in talks where social media giants would have to answer for any harm they cause children.
The Kids Online Safety Act
On Wednesday, Feb. 16, Sens Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn will introduce new legislation to protect children on social media, known as the Kids Online Safety Act.
In accordance with the child-safety legislation, tech companies are required to provide periodic assessments of how their algorithms, design features, and targeted advertising systems might harm minors.
"In hearings over the last year, Senator Blumenthal and I have heard countless stories of physical and emotional damage affecting young users, and Big Tech's unwillingness to change," said Sen. Blackburn.
Senator Blumenthal also argued that big technology firms have put profits above safety and that his legislation will hold tech firms accountable. This way, parents can prevent children from viewing harmful content online.
In defense, several major tech companies have said they take the safety of children seriously, following federal rules that protect younger users. They have also said they take steps to protect other users from harmful content and privacy concerns.
As soon as the legislation becomes law, tech companies would be required to give minors a choice to opt out of algorithmic recommendations. Consequently, it would mark a significant step in regulating how children interact with the Internet if the legislation passes.
Besides opt-out of algorithms, the bill also gives parents new controls to help spot harmful behaviors through dedicated channels.
Moreover, the bill requires social media platforms to protect children from content that encourages self-harm, eating disorders, substance abuse, and sexual exploitation. The bill also requires social media platforms to conduct an independent audit every year to assess the risk to children.
Furthermore, bipartisan support is being sought for legislation that would create an independent panel to outline a national strategy on the use of technology, including new privacy protections for children and expanded restrictions on the collection of personal data.
Another recommendation that has gained support in Congress includes more transparency related to the algorithms that are often used for targeting content to specific users.
Effects of Social Media on Children
Social media is becoming increasingly controversial, especially concerning its impact on children, thus the need for child-safety legislation.
Just recently, Tech Times reported how Alexa urges kids to play with electrical outlets, how children are at risk from online predators, and more dangers pertaining to social media usage.
Then according to the Wall Street Journal's intricate research for Facebook, its algorithms foster harmful content that negatively impacts children. Meta's Instagram app also does the same, and a sizeable percentage of its affected users are teenage girls.
These documents formed the basis for the Journal's Facebook Files series, which Sens. Blumenthal and Blackburn will reference on Wednesday.
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Written by Thea Felicity
