Statement on The White House Kids Online Health & Safety Task Force Report
WASHINGTON, July 22, 2024 - Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued its recommendations from The Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force, an interagency effort to advance the health, safety, and privacy of youth online. The Task Force report includes: (1) Best practices for parents and caregivers, (2) recommended practices for industry to promote youth online health, safety, and privacy, (3) a research agenda identifying domains of further inquiry, and 4) recommended next steps for policymakers.
In response, Common Sense Media Chief Advocacy Officer Danny Weiss issued the following statement.
"We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for continuing to take youth health and well-being seriously. We appreciate having been invited to be part of this report and agree that parents, educators, and the tech industry have a role to play in kids' digital well-being. Platforms should be designed with age-appropriate design features and operated with privacy and safety by default in all settings, and more research on this front is always welcome.
"At the same time, there is no substitute for Congress passing legislation to ensure online privacy and safety for young people. The President has called on Congress to act and the executive branch has sent a message through the formation of this Task Force. Congress has delayed action, but it's their responsibility to enact legislation that will fulfill the mission of this report.
"Common Sense Media research, which was referenced multiple times in the Task Force report, has shown time and time again that digital media can expose kids and teens to significant harms such as harassment and cyberbullying, and drive them to unwanted content that can exacerbate mental health issues. We are glad that the Task Force calls for new research initiatives to better understand online harms, but the truth of the matter is that social media companies will not change their design features and practices unless they are forced to do so. That's why we have advocated for and have won new state laws this year. And that is why we will not stop pushing Congress to enact bipartisan legislation - like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and an update to the Children Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). We expect to see a lot of activity from our fellow advocates on Capitol Hill this week to press Congress to pass these two bills before the August recess."
The Kids Online Health and Safety Task Force report aligns with Common Sense's three-pronged approach to online safety for young people: 1) educate parents and equip them with resources, 2) pressure industry stakeholders to make changes to protect kids, and 3) pass new laws that force companies to act responsibly when they don't do so voluntarily. For more information, please visit www.ActionNotApologies.com.
About Common Sense Media
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