New Jersey’s attorney general joined 43 others warning Congress that a proposed online safety law could shield Big Tech from accountability
TRENTON, N.J. — A coalition of 44 attorneys general is pushing back against a proposed federal online safety bill, warning Congress that the legislation could weaken protections for children while giving major technology companies broader legal protection.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Tuesday that she joined a bipartisan coalition opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, known as the KIDS Act.
The coalition argued the proposed legislation would limit states’ ability to regulate online harms affecting minors, including social media platforms, online obscenity, social gaming services and artificial intelligence chatbots.
In a letter sent to congressional leaders, the attorneys general warned the bill could create enforcement loopholes benefiting technology companies while restricting states from pursuing child safety protections already enacted at the local level.
Davenport said technology companies should not be protected from accountability when children are harmed online.
The coalition specifically criticized provisions in the House version of the bill that would prevent many age verification requirements for online platforms, permit certain market research involving minors and create what officials described as enforcement gaps tied to AI chat functions.
The attorneys general instead urged Congress to advance legislation containing stronger duty-of-care requirements for online platforms.
Davenport previously supported the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act, known as KOSA, which the coalition said would preserve states’ authority to pursue online child safety enforcement.
The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General has previously taken legal action against several major technology companies, including Meta, TikTok and Discord, over allegations involving child safety and online harms.
Attorneys general from more than 40 states and territories joined the coalition, including officials from New York, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Ohio and the District of Columbia.
──────────────────
Key Points
- New Jersey joined 43 attorneys general opposing federal KIDS Act
- Coalition says bill could weaken protections for children online
- Officials warn proposal may shield Big Tech from accountability
