Paul blocks push to unanimously pass Kids Online Safety Act

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) blocked an effort from Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Wednesday to pass by unanimous consent the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a long-sought bill that intends to protect kids in the digital space.

KOSA, which aims to hold accountable social media companies for the alleged harms their platforms cause for young children and teens, has long had support from the majority of senators, but differences with the House stopped it from passing both chambers in 2024.

Unlike the House version that passed as part of a broader package last summer, the Senate’s KOSA includes a “duty of care” provision, which would legally require platforms to “exercise reasonable care” to prevent harms to minors. Harms include eating disorders, suicide, substance use disorders and sexual exploitation.

The duty of care provision is a red line for KOSA co-authors Blackburn and Blumenthal, along with several tech watchdogs that have pushed for KOSA to pass for years.

The Senate version passed out of committee last month, and the legislative calendar is running out this year to come to an agreement with the House.

Lawmakers introduced KOSA four times in as many years, and while it passed the Senate easily in 2024, House Republicans’ concerns over censorship and freedom of speech prevented it from ever hitting the House floor.