House committee revives stalled kids online safety legislation

The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee spent three hours debating a massive legislative package aimed at regulating digital platforms. Among the proposals is a reworked version of KOSA, which previously cleared the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support but failed to gain traction in the House. The current iteration introduces a more expansive preemption standard, effectively barring states from enforcing their own related safety laws, while stripping away the original 'duty of care' requirement that mandated platforms prevent mental health harm.

Critics have branded this revision a poison pill, arguing it transforms a protective measure into a non-starter. Meanwhile, the inclusion of the App Store Accountability Act—which seeks to federalize age verification requirements—has drawn sharp criticism from privacy experts concerned about surveillance. While longtime opponents of the original bill express tepid satisfaction with the weakened language, the new focus on age verification ensures that the legislative friction remains as intense as ever.