Senate Commerce advances kids' online safety, supply chain bills
Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
The Senate Commerce Committee favorably reported a handful of tech policy bills on Wednesday focused on kids' online safety, supply chain challenges and rural broadband.
Why it matters: Senators are signaling their early tech priorities this Congress, and highlighting areas where they can work across the aisle.
Senators advanced the Kids Off Social Media Act, which would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media platforms and prohibit companies from recommending algorithmically-targeted content to anyone under 17.
- KOSMA would make the FTC and state attorneys general the primary enforcement authority.
- Chair Ted Cruz introduced the legislation along with Sens. Brian Schatz, Chris Murphy, and Katie Britt.
- The bipartisan bill, which is making its return this Congress, is also cosponsored by Sens. Peter Welch, Ted Budd, John Fetterman, Angus King, Mark Warner, and John Curtis.
- Sen. Ed Markey opposed moving the legislation.
The other side: "By banning social media for kids under 13, KOSMA violates First Amendment rights and pressures platforms into invasive age verification and data collection practices—putting all users' privacy at risk," said the Open Technology Institute's Sydney Saubestre in a statement.
Senators also favorably reported the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act to expand the role of the Commerce assistant secretary for industry and analysis to tackle supply chain issues and uncertainty.
- Sens. Maria Cantwell, Marsha Blackburn, and Lisa Blunt Rochester reintroduced the bill this Congress.
- The legislation would also create a government-wide working group headed up by the assistant secretary to try to prepare for and respond to supply chain shocks.
- Another supply chain bill, Sen. Gary Peters' Strengthening Support for American Manufacturing Act that the Senate unanimously passed last year, also advanced.
The Rural Broadband Protection Act, which also unanimously passed the Senate last Congress, advanced out of committee.
- The bill would require the FCC to establish a vetting process for prospective high-cost Universal Service Fund applicants.
What's next: The legislation now heads to the Senate floor.
