House child online safety bill deemed lacking by state AG coalition

The House's version of the Kids Online Safety Act was criticized by a bipartisan group of 40 state attorneys general for having inadequate protections ensuring minors' safety online, reports The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.

Aside from omitting provisions included in the Senate version, including a duty of care that would require platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harms to minors tied to product design, the House bill also fails to clearly identify harms such as eating disorders, compulsive use, suicide, and other mental health risks, while permitting federal law to override stronger state statutes, said the group in a letter to House lawmakers.

"Many social media platforms deliberately target minors, fueling a nationwide youth mental health crisis. These platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive, particularly for underage users, and generate substantial profits by monetizing minors' personal data through targeted advertising," the letter said.

Such concerns were raised as New Mexico moves forward with its lawsuit against Meta, which alleges the failure of the company's platforms in protecting children from exploitation and other online harms.