Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA): Protecting Youth or Limiting Freedom?
Rishi Gupta
Social media has become a critical part of pre-teen and teenage life. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat shape how our youth connect, talk, and even understand the world. However, social media has its dangers, some including addictive scrolling, harmful content, and mental health concerns. In April of 2024, lawmakers introduced the Kids Off Social Media Act (KOSMA), S. 4213. Supporters call it one of the most important steps to protect kids on online platforms, while critics raise questions regarding freedom, privacy, and government control.
What KOSMA Proposes
The bill lays out three main rules.
Accounts: Social media platforms should not allow kids under 13 to sign up, and must remove accounts made by younger children.
Personalized Feeds: Recommendation feeds based on a user’s personal information, like device, language, age, and location, would be blocked for individuals under the age of 17
School Restrictions: Schools are strongly encouraged to limit social media use during the day to reduce distractions.
Supporters vs. Critics
Supporters of KOSMA argue that young people are especially at risk from the downsides of social media, such as anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, and exposure to dangerous material. Senator Brian Schatz, one of the bill’s sponsors, stated, “There is no good reason for a nine-year-old to be on Instagram or Snapchat…This is an urgent health crisis, and Congress must act with the boldness and urgency it demands.” Surveys back this up, as one conducted by Count on Mothers shows that over 90% of mothers agree that there should be a minimum age of 13 for social media, and most parents worry about their teens seeing harmful content online and wasting too much time.
Critics view things differently. Many civil liberties groups warn that the bill could lead to too much monitoring and less freedom. Platforms could need identity verification to implement age restrictions, which is a privacy risk to anyone, not just kids. Some say that blocking algorithmic feeds would prevent teens from being shown useful or age-appropriate content. Free speech advocates also worry the bill could set a dangerous path toward government control of online expression. Some parents believe it is not up to lawmakers to control the way their children use social media.
Finding the Balance
In early 2025, KOSMA had advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce. Whether it becomes law is uncertain, but one thing is clear. It highlights one of the biggest challenges we are currently facing: finding a balance between online safety for kids and online freedom. Should the government protect kids from harmful platforms, even if it means limiting some freedoms? Should families and communities take the lead instead? Regardless of your position, there is no doubt that how we handle kids’ access to social media today will shape their relationship with technology for years to come.
Image Credit: Schatz