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The Kids Online Safety Act And The Tyranny Of Laziness

There is some confusion about whether the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) regulates content or design on digital platforms like Instagram or TikTok. It’s easy to see why that is, because the bill’s a…

The reason is pretty simple: tech companies are inherently lazy — those with decision making authority will want to comply with regulations in the cheapest and easiest way possible. To comply with KOSA, tech companies will have to show that they are taking reasonable steps to make sure their personalized recommendation systems aren’t causing harm to minors’ mental health and well-being. Congress would be better off stripping out the content moderation parts of the bill and leaving them for the future after it has engaged in a good deal of fact finding and discussions with experts.

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