Ricketts co-leads ‘Kids Online Safety Act’ to protect minors from dangerous content

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NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) – The United States Senate passed legislation designed to protect children from dangerous online content Tuesday, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort in decades to hold tech companies more accountable.

“Over the past 20 years, social media platforms have connected people and communities. That connectivity is often positive, yet we cannot ignore the dangers,” Sen. Pete Ricketts said. “In recent court filings, the Justice Department has claimed that China has used TikTok to try to undermine American values, push their communist agenda and spy on Americans. We took action to ban China’s ownership of TikTok earlier this year.”

Sen. Ricketts was a co-sponsor of the previously mentioned legislation.

“We passed two bills that better protect children and teenagers online. They also give parents new tools, and safeguards, and, need transparency. It requires platforms to provide minors with options to protect their information it gives the option to disable addictive product features and opt out of personalized algorithmic recommendations,” Ricketts said.

Ricketts said that this update was long overdue.

“It expands the age protections to include teenagers under the age of 17, bans targeted advertising towards minors, eliminates data collection and strengthens parental controls,” Ricketts said. “It also creates a duty for online platforms to prevent and mitigate specific dangers to minors. Companies in every other industry must take steps to prevent users from being hurt. Social media companies should do the same.”

Congress has yet to act on the legislation passed this week by the Senate. President Joe Biden encouraged the house to send the legislation to his desk “without delay.”

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