HILL TECH BRIEF: Child Online Safety Faces Lobbying Opposition

Advocates for kids’ mental health decry social media algorithms they say promote eating disorders, self-harm, and substance abuse, but congressional efforts to strengthen children’s safety and privacy online are running into opposition from lobbyists.

A motley collection of LGBTQ+ advocates, free speech crusaders, and technology nonprofits maintain the measures, while laudable, are misguided, and could infringe on privacy and free speech rights, increase collection of user data, and force social media platforms — in fear of liability — to over-moderate and block content that isn’t necessarily harmful. Social media giants’ recent federal lobbying disclosures show a spending blitz over privacy ...