OPINION:
I have dedicated much of my time both in and out of public office to defending, protecting, and advocating for families and children – from protecting our children from physical threats they may face in our communities to fighting the threats posed by what they view on television and experience on the internet.
In the United States Senate, I worked to pass one of the first online safety laws as widespread use of the internet was still in its infancy. Nearly a decade later, in the aftermath of pop star Janet Jackson’s exposure on national television during the Super Bowl halftime show, I led the charge for the passage of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act that put in place real penalties and fines for broadcasting obscene and indecent programming. And during my presidential campaigns, despite calls from both inside and outside my party, I never shied away from speaking out against the negative influence of a runaway culture.
My work was not borne out of political calculation; it was sparked by a concern for the impact our culture was having on our children. Spend one day in Congress and you will quickly learn that politics is downstream from culture, and our elected leadership is often the last line of defense against the negative influences of a culture that would otherwise remain unchecked.
That is why it may surprise some of my allies (and detractors) that I am adamantly opposed to the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) currently being debated in Congress.
KOSA’s goal is to guard against children developing self-harm behaviors, like eating disorders or depression, and to insulate them from online bullying. I think, or would hope, we can all agree that these goals are commendable; but the way KOSA goes about trying to accomplish this is wrong-headed.
Like so many well-intentioned government attempts to solve our problems, KOSA provides a one-size-fits-all answer to a challenge, an approach that any parent will tell you is naïve and a recipe for disaster.
My wife Karen and I are the proud parents of seven children – all of whom learn differently, process information differently, mature at different paces, and are just plain … different. As parents, we know that each of our children are their own individuals and we raise them accordingly, with the common goal of helping each of them learn and grow into adults who will positively impact our society. And as parents, we are the first – and last – line of defense for our children’s well-being.
That’s why, rather than applying a top-down approach like KOSA, I would argue that it’s far more productive to encourage and amplify parental involvement in every aspect of our children’s lives, online or otherwise. Talk to your children about how to safely use the internet. Foster open lines of communication with your children so they are comfortable talking about what they see and how they interact online. Teach them about how to use the internet in the way that is best for them, just as parents do with other aspects of their children’s growth.
As we’ve learned time and time again, the government does not know best — parents do. Parents should be empowered, not a bloated government bureaucracy. If parents are replaced in this process, KOSA empowers government to step in by requiring the collection of massive amounts of personal data, infringement on free speech, and actions that place the personal data of our children at risk – all in the name of protecting our children.
By leaning on government and not parents to protect and support our children, KOSA pushes platforms to overcorrect, and even denies access to too much useful content that would otherwise help our children learn and grow. A better solution would be to encourage the private sector to partner with parents to help monitor screentime and content accessibility and protect children from online predators.
Parenting is tough – no doubt about it. There are dangers around virtually every corner for our children. But expanding the role of government and its reach into our lives does not solve the challenges our families face in the digital age. Legislation like KOSA simply compounds them.
• Rick Santorum is a former two-term U.S. senator, two-term congressman, and presidential candidate. He is currently a senior advisor to the Convention of States and a contributor to Newsmax.
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