WASHINGTON, D.C. (MyKeeneNow) – The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly approved the Kids Online Safety Act in a decisive 91-3 vote.

This bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, is designed to enhance the safety and well-being of children online by imposing greater accountability on Big Tech companies.

“For far too long, Big Tech has prioritized profits over the safety of our children,” said Shaheen in a news release from her office. “Today’s strong bipartisan vote sends a clear message: we will not stand by while the mental health and well-being of our youth are compromised. This bill is a crucial step in holding tech giants accountable for the harmful, addictive, and toxic content that has plagued online platforms. If enacted, it would empower parents to better protect their families from the dangers of the digital world. I strongly urge my colleagues in the House to pass this legislation quickly so it can reach President Biden’s desk for his signature.”

The push for this legislation follows a recent advisory from the Surgeon General highlighting the harmful impact of social media on the mental health of children and teens. Among the concerning findings was that 64 percent of adolescents frequently encounter hate-based content online. The report also noted that social media exacerbates issues like body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, social comparison, and low self-esteem, particularly among teenage girls.

The Kids Online Safety Act, backed by Shaheen, seeks to provide families with the necessary tools to protect children from online threats. Key provisions of the bill include requiring social media platforms to offer minors the ability to safeguard their personal information, disable addictive features, and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations. It also introduces a new reporting channel for parents and schools to flag harmful content directed at minors.

Moreover, the legislation places a responsibility on Big Tech to address and mitigate specific risks to minors in their product designs, such as suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and illegal product advertisements. The bill mandates that social media platforms conduct an annual independent audit to assess the risks to minors and evaluate whether the platform is taking effective measures to address these dangers.

As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, Senator Shaheen has consistently advocated for improved mental health resources for families in New Hampshire and has worked to hold social media companies accountable for illicit online activities. Last year, she partnered with Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) to introduce and successfully pass the Cooper Davis Act through the Senate Judiciary Committee, a bipartisan initiative aimed at curbing online drug sales via social media platforms.