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CHICAGO – Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (“KIDS Act”), arguing the bill would weaken states’ ability to protect children online while insulating technology companies from accountability.
In their letter sent to Congressional leadership, Raoul and the coalition warned the KIDS Act would broadly preempt state laws addressing online harms to minors, including social media harms, obscenity, social gaming platforms, and artificial intelligence chatbots. The coalition emphasized that Congress should instead advance legislation that includes a meaningful duty of care requirement for online platforms.
“Instead of protecting our children and teens, the KIDS Act protects big tech from the appropriate oversight needed to actually protect young people from harm online,” Raoul said. “American children and teenagers are in the grip of a devastating mental health crisis, which is why I will continue to collaborate with fellow attorneys general to ensure technology companies take reasonable steps to protect our children online.”
Raoul and the attorneys general expressed support for the U.S. Senate’s version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), S. 1748, which includes a key provision requiring online platforms to act in the best interests of minors while preserving states’ authority to enforce stronger protections for children and teens; the coalition explains the KIDS Act imperils the ability of states to fully protect children.
The letter comes as Raoul and attorneys general across the country continue investigations and litigation involving major social media platforms, including Meta and TikTok, over allegations that their platforms target and harm underage users.
Joining Raoul in filing the comment letter are the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
