Trust parents over unelected officials to protect teens’ online safety

As technology rapidly advances, ensuring the online safety of our teens has become a pressing concern for parents and lawmakers. While federal proposals like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) aim to protect young users, entrusting unelected federal bureaucrats with unfettered power would undermine parental authority and fail to account for the unique needs of local communities. Empowering parents and state officials offers a more effective and accountable approach to safeguarding our children in the digital age.

Lawmakers have been working to protect children and teens online, but KOSA, while well-intentioned, raises serious concerns about granting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) substantial authority to determine what online content is considered harmful for teens. The bill has a provision holding tech companies accountable to take “reasonable care” to protect teens from harmful content but fails to clearly define reasonable care or what’s considered harmful content. The latest version of KOSA gives the FTC the power to enforce this vague provision, opening the door for government censorship of legitimate content. Bureaucrats at the FTC would have the power to mark content that doesn’t align with their political agenda as “harmful,” overriding 1st Amendment rights and parents’ own views about what content they think is appropriate for their children.

Lina Khan, the current Chair of the FTC, has proven that she is willing to prioritize advancing her own political beliefs at the expense of the customers she’s meant to protect. Chair Khan was recently investigated by the House Judiciary Committee for this very reason. Testimony from FTC employees clearly depicted Chair Khan’s willingness to abuse her power to advance her own agenda. The rampant overreach of the FTC must be stopped – not encouraged, which is why KOSA is the wrong approach to child online safety.

State governments and local officials, by contrast, are better positioned to address the specific concerns of their constituents. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has been a strong advocate in ensuring child safety online. By providing resources for both children and parents, his office demonstrates how state initiatives can be tailored to meet local needs effectively. As government officials that are democratically elected and can held accountable for their actions, state attorneys general will be much better equipped to ensuring that policies remain aligned with community values, rather than the biased ‘one size fits all’ approach the FTC is likely to take.

Handing this power over to the FTC also sidelines parents in the raising of their own children. By allowing a distant entity to make broad decisions about online content, we chip away at the influence parents have over shaping their children’s perspectives and experiences. It’s essential to preserve the ability of parents to decide what is appropriate for their children, rather than transferring that authority to officials who may not fully grasp the nuances of each family’s values and circumstances.

Representative John James from Michigan recently initiated a new online safety proposal that puts more power in the hands of parents. This proposal would require accounts attached to minors to have parental approval before apps can be downloaded. By offering parents tools to be actively engaged with their child’s online activity, parents can feel more secure about how their teens are interacting with the online world. According to a Morning Consult poll, 79 percent of parents support legislation that requires parental approval for app downloads. This widespread support underscores the importance of solutions that enhance, rather than diminish, parental control.

While protecting children online is undeniably important, we must carefully consider how we approach this goal. Legislation like KOSA, which centralizes power within a federal agency, may inadvertently undermine parental authority and fail to account for the diverse needs of communities across the nation. By strengthening the role of parents, we can develop more nuanced and effective strategies that respect individual values and provide children with a safe and enriching online experience. Empowering those closest to our children — their parents and communities — is the key to ensuring their well-being in an increasingly digital world.

I’m urging those who are sitting at the helm of the future of children’s online safety to say no to KOSA and instead support legislation, like that of Rep. James, that offers parents the tools to keep children safe online.

Kyle Johnson is a Lowcountry conservative activist residing in Georgetown, South Carolina.