The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) issued a statement ahead of an anticipated U.S. Senate vote on the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act (KOSPA) this week.
KOSPA encompasses the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0). A diverse group of stakeholders, including civil rights organizations, have repeatedly voiced concerns. In a recent letter, these groups explained that the legislation could lead to broad restrictions on online speech, raise significant First Amendment issues, and create confusing compliance challenges for businesses striving to protect young people online.
The following statement was attributed to CCIA President & CEO Matt Schruers: "The broadly shared goal of protecting younger users online is something we support, so we are disappointed this legislation risks doing more harm than good. KOSPA raises serious First Amendment concerns by silencing speech, and creates greater privacy risks for all internet users through forced data collections and untested technology mandates."
