Child Safety Is the New Tech Battleground
Summary
“Big Tech has brazenly failed children,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut and one of the bill’s authors. The bill, co-written with Senator Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, came together after internal research leaked by the Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen showed how Instagram could harm teens’ mental health, among other effects, and led to Instagram’s chief, Adam Mosseri, testifying before Congress. What the bill would do: • None Require online platforms to refrain from promoting harmful behavior, including suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and bullying. Tech companies say they already follow numerous federal requirements for protecting children, and have made changes in response to public concern and foreign regulations. In recent months, Instagram and TikTok have unveiled new features and rules intended to keep younger users safe.