The internet can be a dangerous place — especially for children.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal is reintroducing legislation to help kids and parents protect themselves from toxic content and algorithms, and hold technology companies accountable.
Blumenthal spoke about the Kids Online Safety Act at a roundtable discussion with parents, educators, students and clinicians in Hamden.
“This bill would, number one, give those tools to parents and kids so they can take back control over their lives," Blumenthal said. "Number two, impose a duty of care and accountability on social media companies so they prevent and mitigate the harm. They know what's happening, they can stop it. And third, more transparency. In other words, expose the algorithms, how they work, and how they can be stopped from driving content about bullying and eating disorders, sexual harassment, even suicide.”
He said kids and parents need tools to help them disconnect from the negative aspects of social media.
“Right now, the bullying follows them from their schools back home to their bedroom,” Blumenthal said. “And they have no way of disconnecting if they want to stay connected to the internet in general.”
New Haven parents and teacher Dianna Carter said busy parents should not have to struggle to put controls on their kids' technology.
“We just figured out how to put on parental controls on our Nintendo Switch,” Carter said. “Because it's not easy, right? And you have to spend time in order to actually do the thing.”
The act is led by Blumenthal and co-sponsored by almost 40 senators on both sides of the aisle.
It was introduced in 2022, but failed to secure funding in the end-of-the-year budget deal.
According to Blumenthal, it has a better chance of passing as a stand-alone bill.
