House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has expressed his support for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) passed by the Senate, but he believes that certain aspects of the bill need to be addressed before it can pass in the House. In an interview with Punchbowl News, Johnson stated that while he agrees with the principle behind KOSA, there are specific details in the text that pose significant problems. The Senate-passed version of KOSA has faced criticism from House Republicans who argue that it infringes on free speech rights.
Johnson raised concerns about potential unintended consequences associated with the current version of KOSA. The bill was initially proposed in 2022 and received overwhelming support from the Senate in a 91–3 vote on July 30. Its purpose is to establish safeguards and accountability measures to protect children from online harms.
Supporters of KOSA argue that it will help safeguard minors against various online dangers such as sexual exploitation, substance abuse, and harmful content by implementing stricter privacy standards and providing parents with more tools to monitor and report harmful behaviors.
However, critics like the Electronic Frontier Foundation claim that this legislation would restrict access to information and grant government officials authority over what young people can view online.
The second-most powerful Republican in the House, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), also voiced objections to S. 2073—the Senate-passed version of KOSA—stating concerns about potential censorship targeting conservative viewpoints.
One contentious provision within S. 2073 is its imposition of a legal “duty of care” on platforms. While proponents argue this will mitigate risks for minors while enforcing robust privacy settings, some Republicans believe it is overly broad and could lead to censorship.
After facing criticism earlier this year when introduced by House lawmakers, an amended version called H.R. 7891 was put forward by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Sept. 18th as a companion bill to KOSA.
While discussions continue regarding possible amendments to KOSA’s provisions, its fate remains uncertain in the House as Republican leaders believe further adjustments are necessary before passing it into law.