A streaming timeout

In todayโ€™s world of partisan politics, it is certainly an anomaly when any legislation passes by a 91 to 3 margin. You would think this would be a newsworthy event, but few newsโ€™ outlets gave it any serious time or ink. This large margin was the result of two recent bills that passed in the Senate: The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teensโ€™ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0).

Too often, Congress is playing catchup with the ever-devolving American cultural landscape. Internet legislation is, for the most part, a generation old and in regard to children it is even older. It has been over two decades since anything was passed in an attempt to protect our nationโ€™s youth.

The argument could be made that it is the parents who must lead by example. Try getting your brood to surrender their devices for an hour or even during a family meal, an event so simple yet it slowly fades into oblivion. Presumably the parents are just as guilty, as they are unwilling to put down their own handheld worlds.

Most of the laws on the books regarding the internet deal with email.ย However, with the ongoing expansion of technology that the internet superhighway has wrought, boundaries are most essential.

Once upon a time in America, there were three major TV networks, the New York Times and the Washington Post that served as the gatekeepers and controlled the flow of news and information we saw, read and heard. With the advent of the internet, the growth of talk radio, podcasts, social media and the explosion of cable and now satellite TV, access to all things media from athletics to pornography resembles Americaโ€™s southern border.

The internet is the 21st centuryโ€™s version of the Town Cryer. Its powerful algorithms are quite effective at keeping many anchored online and in particular the young as many studies have shown.

The aftereffects reveal a plethora of maladies including shortened attention spans, sleep problems, body image issues, depression, bullying, gambling, and addiction.

Dawn Hawkins, CEO of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, pulled no punches saying recently, โ€œThe parental controls do not work. They have designed these platforms without parents in mind.โ€ย 

If you think any help will come from the kingpins of the tech world, think again. Why should they? After all, less clicks means less money.ย Presently, no websites are legally accountable for what happens to children when on their sites. In essence, parents who must protect their children remain no match for these tech leviathans.

Americans, especially the youth, have little incentive to disconnect from their social media handheld world. Unplugging from the social media industrial complex comes at a great social cost for some, especially those who know nothing else. Having grown up in the digital world, many of todayโ€™s youngsters have their own phones before they reach puberty.

The original COPPA legislation, passed in 1998, prohibited the collection of personal information of kids under age 13. COPPA 2.0 raised the age to any minor 17 and under. Additionally, COPPA 2.0 would prohibit targeted advertising, while granting parents and children the right to erase online personal information.

KOSA would further enhance online protections by requiring social media platforms to implement measures to mitigate bullying, violent video games, messaging platforms and video streaming services, while giving them options to permanently delete their personal data, disabling limiting auto play videos and blocking the distribution of unlawful materials and personalized algorithm recommendations.ย Moreover, it would establish parental controls such as the ability to review privacy and account settings, restrict purchases, and limit the time spent on social media platforms.

Both bills rest in the House of Representatives where their future remains uncertain since they took off on September 26th for a six-week recess. However, the House does return on November 12th. 

Many complain about Congress that has an approval rating of 20%.It is you who possess the power to jumpstart some much-needed change. You can be heard by contacting your representative and tell them to expedite passage of these two bills.ย Granted, legislation will never replace good parenting, but it can certainly assist and this legislation is a start.

Greg Maresca
Greg Maresca
Greg Maresca is a New York City native and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who writes for TTC. He resides in the Pennsylvania Coal Region. His work can also be found in The American Spectator, NewsBreak, Daily Item, Republican Herald, Standard Speaker, The Remnant Newspaper, Gettysburg Times, Daily Review, The News-Item, Standard Journal and more.

Columns

Viewers like you

There is no constitutional authority for any spending on public broadcasting โ€“ period. Any questions: See Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Beyond the Trump-Musk fallout?

We are witnessing an unprecedented, unhinged Democrat effort to use lawfare, big Democrat donors, street theater, congressional disruptions, potty-mouth videos, the administrative state, the legacy media, and discredited pollsters to stop the Trump agenda.

Trans-wormal

No worm ever said "I am anthropomorphizing, I am a butterfly" to a toad or flock of geese and expected acknowledgement and support.

In Greenlandโ€™s Icy Capital, Past Troubles Haunt Hopes for the Future

As geopolitical realities and ongoing economic growth raise the stakes, U.S. interest in Greenland and the dream of independence may change things in a big way.

How a Chinese Government Statistician Was Forced to Report Fake Data

Chinese local govt employee produced a non-authorized report on bees and was visited by police and threatened with being sent to a mental hospital.

News

Supreme Court Sides With DOGE in Social Security, Records Cases

The Supreme Court handed DOGE two big wins late on June 6 in its effort to reduce the size of the federal government.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia Returns to US to Face Criminal Charges

Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a citizen of El Salvador, is on his way back to the US, where he will face criminal charges for allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants.

White House Adviser Gives Update on DOGEโ€™s Future Amid Muskโ€“Trump Spat

A top White House adviser said DOGEโ€™s work will likely continue amid a spat between its former chief, Elon Musk, and President Donald Trump.

Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Allow Dismantling of Education Department

Trump admin asked Supreme Court to allow it to resume dismantling U.S. Dept of Education, following a lower courtโ€™s previous order halting process.

FTC Warns of Rising Student Loan Scams, Says Fraudsters Took Millions From Borrowers

FTC is warning borrowers to steer clear of student loan debt-relief scams, after shutting down group of companies that allegedly charged millions in illegal fees and left customers worse off.

Walmartโ€™s Drone Delivery Coming to 5 More US Cities

Walmart is set to launch its drone delivery service in five more U.S. cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Orlando, and Tampa, the company.

Court Orders Trump Administration to Restore AmeriCorps Funding to States

Federal court ordered Trump admin to restore AmeriCorps funding to states. The ruling comes as part of a lawsuit filed by 24 states and DC.

Tax Deductions You Can Take Without Itemizing

Itโ€™s not always beneficial to itemize. With IRSโ€™s current standard deduction for 2025 most Americans who canโ€™t itemize go with standard deduction.
spot_img

Related Articles