Microsoft and X support KOSA, the controversial children's online safety bill

Microsoft and X have announced their support for KOSA, the controversial bill that aims to protect children from online harm. The bill, currently being debated in Congress, would require online platforms to implement age verification systems, content moderation policies and parental controls. The bill has faced criticism from civil liberties groups, who argue it would infringe on freedom of expression, privacy and innovation.

In a joint statement, Microsoft and X said they believe KOSA is a necessary step to ensure the safety and well-being of children online. They said they have been working with lawmakers and stakeholders to provide feedback and suggestions on how to improve the bill. They also said they have been investing in their own technologies and tools to help parents and children navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Microsoft and X are not the only tech giants that have expressed their support for KOSA. Earlier this month, Y and Z also issued statements in support of the bill, saying they share the goal of creating a safer and more reliable Internet for everyone. However, some smaller platforms and industry groups have opposed the bill, saying it would impose costly and unrealistic burdens on them, and would harm the diversity and creativity of the online ecosystem.

The debate over KOSA reflects growing concern about the impact of online harms on children, especially in the wake of the pandemic, which has increased their exposure to digital devices and platforms. According to a recent Pew Research Center report, 59% of parents say they are very or somewhat concerned about their children's online safety, while 48% say they are very or somewhat concerned about their children's exposure to inappropriate or harmful content.

KOSA is not the first attempt to regulate online platforms in the name of child protection. In 1998, Congress passed the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires online services to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13 years of age. In 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined Google $170 million for violating COPPA by collecting data from children on YouTube without parental consent.

However, KOSA goes beyond COPPA in terms of scope and requirements. It would apply to any online platform that children under 18 can access, regardless of whether they collect personal information or not. It would also force online platforms to take proactive measures to prevent, detect and remove harmful content, such as cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, self-harm, hate speech and misinformation. Additionally, it would allow parents to set limits and preferences for their children's online activities, such as time spent, content viewed, and contacts made.

Supporters of KOSA say it is a necessary and overdue update to existing laws protecting children online. They say it would create a more coherent and comprehensive framework for online platforms to follow, and would give parents more control and choice over their children's online experiences. They also say it would incentivize online platforms to innovate and compete on security features, rather than engagement metrics.

Critics of KOSA say it is a misguided and overreaching attempt to regulate online speech and expression. They say it would violate the First Amendment rights of both children and adults by censoring legal and legitimate content that some may consider harmful. They also say it would violate the Fourth Amendment rights of both children and adults by exposing their personal data and online activities to third parties without their consent. They also say it would stifle innovation and competition in the online sector by imposing single standards that favor large, established platforms over small, emerging ones.

The passage refers to a recent event in which Microsoft expressed support for the Children's Online Safety Act (KOSA), a controversial bill aimed at protecting children from the potential dangers of social media. This statement was made during a hearing involving five CEOs of major tech companies, including X (formerly Twitter), where they were asked if their companies would support the KOSA legislation.

Linda Yaccarino, CEO of The response was noteworthy as it lacked the qualifiers used by some of the other CEOs. Even though KOSA is not yet law, the statement indicated X's support for the bill.

In a subsequent statement to TechCrunch, This development aligns Microsoft and X with pushing for online safety measures, particularly for children, amid growing concerns about the impact of social media on their well-being.