US senator suggests using bill to protect children in online spaces to block LGBTQ+ content



As the relationship between online spaces and the real world becomes closer, there is a growing need to protect children from harmful content online.In the United States,

the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA ) requires platforms to protect minors. : Children's Online Safety Bill) is being discussed. Regarding the Children's Online Safety Bill, it has been pointed out that there are concerns that legitimate speech and artists' works may be blocked. It has been reported that Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn , who is the central figure in submitting the bill to Congress, has suggested that the Child Online Safety Act could be used to 'block LGBTQ+ content.'

US Senator: 'Kids Online Safety Act' will target trans content
https://www.losangelesblade.com/2023/09/03/us-senator-kids-online-safety-act-will-target-trans-content/



Kids Online Safety Act would target trans content, senator confirms | Mashable
https://mashable.com/article/kids-online-safety-act-would-target-trans-content-says-marsha-blackburn

The Children's Online Safety Act is a bill that aims to restrict minors' access to social media, control the content displayed, protect privacy on platforms, and strengthen parental supervision. The bill is being pushed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers , and an amendment introduced in May 2023 also has support from President Joe Biden .

However, questions have been raised as to whether the Children's Online Safety Bill will actually be useful in protecting children, and concerns have also been raised that it will be used to strengthen censorship in online spaces. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which advocates for rights in the digital space, urged : 'This is not a security bill, it's a surveillance and censorship bill. Tell your senators and representatives not to pass it.'

The reason why the Children's Online Safety Bill is such a concern is that the targets for which companies should take measures are ambiguous, and free speech, LGBTQ+ information and content, etc., may be subject to regulation. The bill stipulates that social media companies must take measures to prevent problems such as 'anxiety, depression, eating disorders, substance use disorders , and suicidal behavior' in children, but the regulations are not specific. It is unclear what exactly it refers to.



Republican Senator Blackburn, who introduced the Child Online Safety Act with Democratic senators, is known for his strong anti-LGBTQ+ stance. Senator Blackburn has opposed bills allowing same-sex marriage and banning discrimination against LGBT employees in the past, and has been called 'Trump in a wig' by singer Taylor Swift. has been criticized .

At the end of August, a video interview with Senator Blackburn was published on the YouTube channel of the American conservative group Family Policy Alliance. In the video, in response to the interviewer's question, ``What do you think are the top issues that conservatives should pay attention to and take action on right now?'' Senator Blackburn replies, ``There are a few.Of course, there are minor issues.'' Protecting our children from transgender people and their influence in this culture. Plus, monitoring what's happening on social media. The Child Online Safety Act will likely become law this summer. I think,' he replies.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn's Top Priority is Social Media. Here's Why. - YouTube


Concerns are growing online about this interview, saying it suggests that anti-LGBTQ+ groups could use the Children's Online Safety Act to block LGBTQ+ content. The kind of content that is actually regulated is expected to vary by state, and if the state attorney general has an anti-LGBTQ+ stance, the Children's Online Safety Act may be used to block LGBTQ+ content. It is said that there is

For example, in 2022, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordered an investigation into gender reassignment treatment for children as 'child abuse,' and in 2023, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey ordered Some state attorneys general have taken anti-LGBTQ+ stances, such as promulgating emergency regulations to block people from undergoing gender reassignment treatment. In addition, the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that has expressed support for the Children's Online Safety Act, published an article titled ``How Big Tech Turns Children Trans,'' stating that transgender treatment worsens suicide rates among children. claims.

'Given this context, it's easy to predict how they will use the new bill to target transgender content online,' said reporter Erin Reed, who is transgender herself. This is not mere speculation. Anti-LGBTQ+ groups have clearly stated their intentions regarding this bill.'



Furthermore, even without targeted legislative or judicial measures, social media could self-censor LGBTQ+ content before it becomes problematic under the Child Online Safety Act. 'Social media platforms are already known for self-censoring such content,' Reed said. 'According to a report by GLAAD , an LGBT advocacy non-governmental organization, LGBTQ+ content is subject to demonetization and removal. , often face shadowbans.”

In an email to the Los Angeles Blade, a web media outlet that reported on this matter, Senator Blackburn said, ``This is false. These (child protection and LGBTQ+ issues) are two different issues taken out of context. The Children's Online Safety Act does not target or censor individuals or communities.' Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Blackburn, also said, ``The Children's Online Safety Act does not target or censor anyone, including members of the LGBTQ community.'' ``My staff and I 'We have had extensive and collaborative conversations with stakeholders, including LGBTQ groups, and have clarified the legislative text to better reflect the bill's intent.'

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