Policy Deep Dive: Online Safety for Children

This policy deep dive examines U.S. efforts to improve children’s online safety, focusing on federal proposals—the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and COPPA 2.0—and state laws in Florida (HB 3), California (S 976), Utah (SB 142), and others. It outlines core measures such as duty of care, data minimization, parental consent, age verification, and default safety settings, and details major criticisms involving free speech, real-world effectiveness, and the scope of FTC enforcement. The report anticipates continued debate and potential revisions through 2025 to balance child protection with civil liberties.