The Internet Is About to Get a Lot Worse
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We've all watched in horror as red states have banned books in schools and libraries. We've seen teachers fired merely for reading a book about gender...

Charlie Jane Anders discusses KOSA (the Kids Online Safety Act).

If you’re in the US, https://www.stopkosa.com/ makes it easy to contact your Senators and ask them to oppose KOSA.

"A new bill called the Kids Online Safety Act, or KOSA, is sailing towards passage in the Senate with bipartisa>n support. Among other things, this bill would give the attorney general of every state, including red states, the right to sue Internet platforms if they allow any content that is deemed harmful to minors. This clause is so vaguely defined that attorneys general can absolutely claim that queer content violates it — and they don’t even need to win these lawsuits in order to prevail. They might not even need to file a lawsuit, in fact. The mere threat of an expensive, grueling legal battle will be enough to make almost every Internet platform begin to scrub anything related to queer people.

The right wing Heritage Foundation has already stated publicly that the GOP will use this provision to remove any discussions of trans or queer lives from the Internet. They’re salivating over the prospect.

And yep, I did say this bill has bipartisan support. Many Democrats have already signed on as co-sponsors. And President Joe Biden has urged lawmakers to pass this bill in the strongest possible terms."

        • The Nexus of Privacy@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
          17·
          1 year ago

          That’s disappointing … but, enough pressure can get them to change their position (or, almost as good, ask Schumer not to bring the bill to the floor so that they don’t have to take a politically costly vote). In the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, both Cantwell and Markey voted yes but said they had gotten a lot of calls and email from constituents who were concerned about the impact on LGBTQ+ teens so there was work to do before bringing the bill to the floor … so the pressure is definitely getting noticed!

          • ursakhiin@beehaw.org
            3·
            1 year ago

            One of my senators in on this list. His replies when a constituent disagrees with him are always a dismissal. The other senator who isn’t on there is Ted Cruz…

        • The Nexus of Privacy@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
          6·
          1 year ago

          Thanks for making the effort! On bills like this, enough pressure can make a difference – we stopped KOSA from passing last year, and have a good chance this year as well.

      • Adkml [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
        91·
        1 year ago

        God in a campaign defined by hilarious self inflicted pratt falls I can’t believe they slapped Tim Karnes dumbass into Hillary vp slot.

        And then tried to whitewash him as “your boring uncle (please don’t look into any of his actual policy positions)”

      • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
        6·
        1 year ago

        Somehow neither of my senators customers cosponsored, but I’m guessing they’ll both sign. We passed someone similar in my state recently, so I’m not expecting much.

        I’ll contact them though. I guess it can’t hurt.