House Freedom Caucus Could Kill off the Kids Online Protection Act (KOSA)

WASHINGTON—As the recently introduced Kids Online Security Act (KOSA) enjoys bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, the measure could be dead on arrival in the U.S. House of Representatives as the House Freedom Caucus and other conservative lawmakers are beginning to question the bill’s apparent big government overreach.

The KOSA bill was cosponsored in the U.S. Senate by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R) and Richard Blumenthal (D), while Reps.  Gus Bilirakis (R) and  Kathy Castor (D) introduced the measure in the lower chamber.

The big point of contention for the growing number of conservative lawmakers is that the legislation would allow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to oversee and “bring an enforcement action” against apps and other platforms that allegedly target children.

The Floridian spoke to several  members of the House Freedom Caucus to try to gauge their thoughts on the KOSA bill, but while most have not read the bill in its entirety, all of them expressed their disdain for giving the FTC and any government agency more responsibility and power.

“Giving the government more power is always sold under the objective of doing something good,” said Texas Rep. Mike Cloud (R), adding that he believed in “spreading the power” and that“consolidated power” was simply “wasteful.”

Former Freedom Caucus Chairman and Rep. Scott Perry told The Floridian that he was “concerned about that anytime the government is involved.”

“I am concerned about that anytime the government is involved, we want to protect everybody, but they have a way of using that to determine and secure outcomes that were never intended,” said Rep. Perry.

When asked about how the measure called for expanded congressional oversight of the FTC, Perry stated,” Well, congressional oversight has not worked too well in the past few years…I’m going to be skeptical.”

Rep.Byron Donalds also expressed his concern over giving the FTC or any government agency more power.

“Every agency needs to be peeled back a lot when it comes to the decisions of the American people. FTC is along those lines as well. I’m not a nanny state member of Congress,” said Rep. Donald. “ There are some things that just need to left to people and left to families.

The Parental Rights lawmaker also said that it was his “responsibility as a parent to reel” in his kids if they stray.

Rep. Chip Roy said he needed to “look more carefully” at the bill, but added, “I am sympathetic on how to protect our kids with technology, internet, and so forth, but  I don’t like expanding government powers.”

With Rep. Bilirakis open to making changes to the bill, the measure would all but certainly need to carve out the FTC power play if it is to have any chance of receiving an up or down vote on the floor of the House.