AG Brown joins coalition opposing KIDS Act, supports stronger online protections for children

Attorney General Nick Brown and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general have sent a letter to congressional leadership opposing the so-called Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), H.R. 7757, which in reality would weaken states' ability to protect children online while insulating Big Tech from accountability.

The coalition warned against the KIDS Act's broad preemption of state laws addressing online harms to minors, including social media harms, obscenity, social gaming platforms, and artificial intelligence chatbots.

Brown emphasized that Congress should instead advance legislation that includes a meaningful duty of care requirement for online platforms. A duty of care obligation would require tech companies to design their platforms with safety for youth at the forefront.

"For years, tech companies have placed profits ahead of the safety of our children, designing platforms that are so addictive that kids forgo sleep, play, and in-person socializing just to keep scrolling," Brown said. "Because Congress refuses to act, they should get out of the way of states advancing sensible legislation to protect kids from damaging content online."

The letter comes as attorneys general across the country, including Washington, continue investigations into and litigation against major social media platforms, including Meta and TikTok, over allegations that their platforms target and harm underage users and improperly collect and profit from using their data.

Washington joins the attorneys general of Connecticut, Hawaiʻi, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The letter is being sent to congressional leadership, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Read the letter.

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