Breaking: Senator Markey Expresses Concerns on KOSA

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced a slate of “kids safety” bills including the controversial and misguided Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Our coalition of dozens of LGBTQ+, human rights, and civil liberties groups oppose KOSA because it would empower the Trump administration to censor lifesaving resources and expand Big Tech data collection while failing to make platforms safer. 

Senator Markey was not present for the vote, but he issued a statement echoing these same concerns: https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-statement-on-commerce-committee-markup-of-kosa 

This is very significant. Senator Markey is seen as a leader on children’s privacy and tech policy issues in the Senate, and he is one of the only Democratic Senators who has lifted up the concerns raised by human rights experts about this legislation. Senator Markey’s leadership on this issue stands in stark contrast to his colleague Senator Warren, who co-sponsored KOSA twice despite pleas from Massachusetts’ based LGBTQ+ groups and hundreds of parents of transgender kids. Earlier this Summer, the Boston City Council unanimously passed a resolution condemning censorship legislation including KOSA.

The following can be attributed to Evan Greer, director of Fight for the Future:

“Senator Markey is showing real leadership by lifting up the concerns of LGBTQ+ youth and parents when it would have been easier to stay silent on a controversial vote. KOSA will make kids less safe, not more safe and will embolden the Trump administration’s crackdown on free speech and marginalized communities. Senator Markey is right to criticize it. His Democratic colleagues in the Senate, including Senator Warren, should listen to him instead of siding with Marsha Blackburn and right wing hate groups.”