Kids need online safety bill

I am a parent living in Downers Grove. The older our kids get, the more present smartphones and social media are in their lives. I’ve seen my kids lose sleep, worry about their body image and receive messages from strangers.

It’s past time for Congress to help parents like me figt back. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) is a very straightforward bill — written by Democrats and Republicans — that puts in place protections for kids online, like regulating addictive features and harmful content.

Data shows parents badly want it, regardless of political affiliation. An August poll found that 76% of Republican voters and 79% of Democrats would be more likely to vote for a U.S. congressional representative who supports KOSA.

Reports are surfacing that Meta lobbyists are making the rounds to both Republicans and Democrats, spreading narratives that are easy to believe but are not grounded in fact. Social media companies are the worst offenders when it comes to privacy and parental autonomy. These platforms have been collecting, sharing and selling children’s data for years, while using design features that promote compulsion and undermine personal agency.

So, suburban congressional representatives, please give parents the autonomy we so desperately need. Pass KOSA and pass it now, before the end of the year. If you don’t, our kids may never get the chance to flourish that they so rightly deserve.

Kate Jungers

Downers Grove