Allies of President-elect Trump are urging House leaders to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which deals with how social media companies handle users under 18, with just two weeks left in the current congressional term.
Elon Musk, a prominent figure in Trump’s orbit, is pushing for the legislation, and his company X has been involved in talks with lawmakers to address concerns about the bill’s provisions. The Kids Online Safety Act passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote, but its passage in the House has been stalled due to concerns that it would give the Federal Trade Commission too much power and lead to censorship of certain viewpoints.
Musk’s company, X, has stated its commitment to working with Congress on child safety legislation and has made progress in addressing concerns about freedom of speech while maintaining safety for minors online. Musk himself wrote, “Protecting kids should always be priority #1.”
Other Trump allies, including Donald Trump Jr. and former press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have also expressed support for the bill, with Trump Jr. stating, “We can protect free speech and our kids at the same time from Big Tech. It’s time for House Republicans to pass the Kids Online Safety Act ASAP.”
The bill’s leaders, Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal, have thanked Musk and X’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, for their support and have expressed their hope that the bill will be passed by the end of the year.
However, House leaders have expressed reservations about the bill, with Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise citing concerns about the bill’s impact on free speech. At least one senior House GOP aide has stated that they do not believe much can be done in the remaining two weeks to pass the bill.