The KIDS Act would require age checks to get online

The KIDS Act, a combined package of various bills, poses significant challenges to online platforms, including age-gating schemes, government-directed moderation policies, and new rules for private and encrypted communications. Companies like Meta, Google, and Twitter will likely face increased pressure to verify users' ages, potentially leading to restrictive age-checking practices across their platforms, as lawmakers have opted for an ultra-expedited process to debate the proposals. The bill's provisions, such as the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the SAFE BOTS Act, create a complex and risky landscape for online services, with many concluding that the safest option is to implement restrictive age-checking practices.

The KIDS Act's impact on online services extends beyond age verification, as it also requires platforms to establish and enforce moderation policies around broad categories of lawful speech, potentially leading to the removal of lawful discussions, such as those related to addiction and recovery, or harm-reduction communities. The bill's focus on age verification and moderation also creates a less private internet for everyone, as adults will be asked to prove their age to access certain services. Furthermore, the bill's provisions on private messages and encrypted communications will likely pressure providers to weaken private communications or limit features on encrypted private services.