How young people feel about the Kids Online Safety Act matters.
These comments show that thoughtful young people are deeply concerned about the proposed law's fallout, and that many who would be affected think it will harm them, not help them.
In addition to these two questions, we also asked those taking the survey if they were comfortable sharing their email address for any journalist who might want to speak with them; unfortunately much coverage usually only mentions one or two of the young people who would be most affected.
Journalists: We have contact info for over 300 young people who would be happy to speak to you about why social media matters to them, and why they oppose KOSA. Individually, these answers show that social media, despite its current problems, offer an overall positive experience for many, many young people.
From these responses, it is clear that many, many young people also experience help, education, friendship, and a sense of belonging there-precisely because social media allows them to explore, something KOSA is likely to hinder.
These kids are deeply engaged in the world around them through these platforms, and genuinely concerned that a law like KOSA could take that away from them and from other young people.
We do not necessarily endorse them or their interpretation of KOSA. KOSA Will Harm Rights That Young People Know They Ought to Have.
Social media has saved my life, just like it has for many young people.
Young people are rightfully worried that the magic moment where you first stumble upon an artist or a style that changes your entire life will be less and less common for future generations if KOSA passes.
We agree: KOSA would likely lead platforms to limit that opportunity for young people to experience unexpected things, forcing their online experiences into a much smaller box under the guise of protecting them.
A lot of young people told us they wanted to, or were developing, an online business-often an art business.
Under KOSA, young people could have less opportunities in the online communities where artists share their work and build a customer base, and a harder time navigating the various communities where they can share their art.
Over and over again, young people told us that one of the most valuable parts of social media was learning that they were not alone in their troubles.
A number of young people explained that they simply would never have been able to overcome some of the worst parts of their lives alone, and they are concerned that KOSA's passage would stop others from ever finding the help they did.
Access to social media really helps me connect with people similar to me and that make me feel like less of an outcast among my peers, being able to communicate with other neurodivergent queer kids who like similar interests to me.
One of the claims that KOSA's proponents make is that it won't stop young people from finding the things they already want to search for.
It's still a problem to stop young people in particular from finding new things that they didn't know they were looking for.
I'm young and I'm not smart but I know without social media, myself and plenty of the people I hold dear in person and online would not be alive.
So much of modern life takes place on the internet, and to strip that away from kids is just another way to prevent them from formulating their own thoughts and ideas that the people in power are afraid of.
Many young people told us that they're worried KOSA will result in more biased news online, and a less diverse information ecosystem.
This Cyber News was published on www.eff.org. Publication date: Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:13:05 +0000