The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting children’s mental health from harmful social media impacts, passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on September 18, 2024, with unanimous support. Sponsored by Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Kathy Castor (D-FL), the bill now moves closer to becoming law after successfully passing the Senate earlier this year with a 91-3 vote.

KOSA seeks to:

• Hold social media companies accountable for preventing harm to minors.
• Implement enhanced parental controls and educational tools.
• Strengthen privacy and security settings for young users.
• Require annual independent audits of social media platforms to assess risks to minors.

The bill reflects NATSAP's ongoing advocacy for safer online spaces for youth. As the bill progresses, NATSAP continues to support efforts that prioritize the mental health of young people in the digital age.