NEW YORK — New York Attorney General Letitia James is urging Congress to pass the U.S. Senate’s version of the Kids Online Safety Act, warning that the House version would weaken existing state laws designed to protect children online.
James joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 other attorneys general in sending a letter to congressional leaders calling on them to reject the House bill, H.R. 6484, and instead adopt the Senate version, S. 1748. The coalition argues that the House bill contains language that would preempt state laws and limit states’ ability to enact or enforce stronger protections for minors.
“Our young people continue to struggle with their mental health because of harmful social media features, and states are already addressing those challenges,” James said. She pointed to New York’s SAFE for Kids Act, which limits addictive social media feeds for minors and protects children’s data from being monetized.
The attorneys general contend the Senate version of the legislation would preserve states’ authority to adopt stricter online safety standards, require social media companies to act with reasonable care to avoid foreseeable harm, and expand the list of harms covered under the law to include suicide, eating disorders, compulsive use, other mental health harms and financial harms.
James and the coalition argue that social media platforms are designed to be addictive and that growing evidence shows companies are aware of negative mental health impacts on underage users. They say federal legislation should strengthen, not undermine, state efforts to address evolving online risks.
Attorneys general from 39 states and territories, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, signed onto the letter.
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