Roughly 70 parents who blame tech platforms for harming or killing their children traveled to the U.S. Capitol this week to advocate for online safety legislation, days after juries found Meta and Google liable for harms on their platforms.
The parents held a vigil outside the Capitol on Tuesday, holding pictures of their deceased children. They are urging Congress to pass the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which has 74 cosponsors and would require tech companies to tailor their platforms to children's safety.
Julianna Arnold, founder of the advocacy group Parents RISE!, lost her 17-year-old daughter to fentanyl poisoning after a man approached her on Instagram and sold her what she thought was Percocet for her anxiety. She attended the Los Angeles trial that resulted in a verdict against Meta and Google.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative lawmakers and parent advocates also support online safety legislation, though some emphasize states' rights. KOSA omits preemption language that would restrict states' ability to regulate online safety, a provision some Republicans have sought.
Senate Majority Leader John Thuna, R-S.D., has endorsed the legislation. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, which must advance KOSA before it reaches the full Senate.
Parent advocates say this is a nonpartisan issue focused on children's safety. "It's the safety of our children, the most sacred things that we have," Arnold said.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates and parent groups say the recent jury verdicts prove that tech companies have knowingly endangered children and must be held legally accountable. They argue KOSA's duty of care provision is essential to protecting minors online.
Arnold said she brought evidence to lawmakers showing platforms are intentionally addicting children to increase engagement and revenue. "We're here to show the evidence that is out there that these platforms are intentionally trying to addict our children, and they are targeting our children because they want more eyeballs on their platform so they make more money," she said.
The parents are calling for immediate action, with Arnold stating: "We don't need to have another hearing with the big tech executives. We don't need to have all these conversations and tell our stories again, because I feel like the evidence is out there now."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has endorsed KOSA, calling it a necessary protection for children.
What the Numbers Show
A Los Angeles jury in March found both Meta and Google’s YouTube negligent for knowingly addicting and harming a young woman. This was the first verdict holding tech platforms directly responsible for content-related harms.
Meta was ordered to pay a $345 million fine after a New Mexico jury found the company failed to protect against child sexual exploitation and misled consumers about platform safety.
KOSA has 74 cosponsors in the Senate, which would constitute a veto-proof majority. The legislation has not advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Sen. Ted Cruz.
Meta and Google have both vowed to appeal the verdicts. A Meta spokesperson said the company continues "to work to make its products safer" and pointed to features like Teen Accounts.
The Bottom Line
The recent jury decisions have intensified pressure on Congress to act. Parents advocates are urging Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz to mark up KOSA and get it to the floor for a vote, arguing the evidence of intentional harm is now overwhelming.
Tech companies maintain their platforms are not addictive and continue legal challenges. The outcome of appeals could shape the legal landscape for future online safety legislation.
Both parties support KOSA in concept, but the bill faces procedural hurdles in committee. Parents are asking for action rather than additional hearings, saying the evidence from recent trials speaks for itself.