Is the Kids Off Social Media Act Necessary?

Last month, the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) passed the House and advanced to the Senate, where it now awaits scheduling for debate. Among other things, the bill would ban social-media platforms from permitting kids 13 and under from creating profiles and prohibit these platforms from using “personalized recommendation systems” on teens under the age of 17 — which means that the use of all but the most basic information, such as age, language, device type, and general location (city and state), would be off-limits for organizing their social feeds.

The bill is the latest episode in a no doubt well-intentioned effort to address what renowned psychologist Jonathan Haidt has termed “the great rewiring of childhood” — wherein kids’ experiences in the real world are stunted while their online experiences blossom with little to no oversight.

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Aaron Andrews

Aaron Andrews is the director of content at Young Voices, a nonprofit helping young professionals break into mainstream media.

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Last month, the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA) passed the House and advanced to the Senate, where it now awaits scheduling for debate. Among other things, the bill would ban social-media platforms from permitting kids 13 and under from creating profiles and prohibit these platforms from using “personalized recommendation systems” on teens under the age of 17 — which means that the use of all but the most basic information, such as age, language, device type, and general location (city and state), would be off-limits for organizing their social feeds.

The bill is the latest episode in a no doubt well-intentioned effort to address what renowned psychologist Jonathan Haidt has termed “the great rewiring of childhood” — wherein kids’ experiences in the real world are stunted while their online experiences blossom with little to no oversight.