House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed lingering concerns about the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a children’s online safety bill endorsed by Elon Musk. Johnson stated that he still has concerns about the free speech components of the bill and whether it might lead to further government censorship of conservative voices.
Johnson made these comments at his weekly press conference on Tuesday, noting that the bill breezed through the Senate with a 91-3 vote but has hit a snag in the House of Representatives, where leaders have expressed concern about possible censorship and the power it bestows on the Federal Trade Commission.
Musk, CEO of X, announced over the weekend that they had worked with the Senate sponsors of the bill to alleviate some of the concerns, stating that they had made progress in protecting freedom of speech while maintaining safety for minors online. Musk apologized to Yaccarino and praised the efforts behind the legislation, urging Congress to pass the Kids Online Safety Act this year.
Other allies of President-elect Donald Trump, including Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders and Donald Trump Jr., also expressed their support for the bill over the weekend. Johnson acknowledged the efforts behind the legislation, but emphasized that the House must get it right when dealing with the regulation of free speech, as it is a critical issue for the Republican Party.
The bill’s leaders, Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal, thanked Musk and Yaccarino for their work over the weekend, stating that the changes would eliminate the false narrative that the bill would be used to censor Americans. They reiterated the call to pass KOSA by the end of the year, citing the clear support from Congress.
The Kids Online Safety Act would put the onus on social media companies to prevent and mitigate potential harm to users under the age of 17, block addictive components for minor users, and make it easier for minors to protect their information, among other measures.