SPOKANE, Wash. — A group of Spokane leaders is urging federal lawmakers, including representatives from Washington state, to pass stronger online protections for children.
City council members Betsy Wilkerson and Jonathan Bingle led Wednesday's announcement, flanked by leaders from the city's mental health providers like NAMI Spokane. The group is pressing for passage of the bipartisan 'Kids Online Safety Act" (KOSA).
"The last time Congress passed a law to protect children online was 25 years ago, long before media companies, their technologies existed, and before we even had smartphones," said Chauntelle Lieske, executive director of NAMI Spokane.
A press release from the group says the growing use of social media "has been a significant factor in the declining mental health outcomes among children, leading to negative body image, bullying, substance use, suicidal behaviors, and sexual exploitation."
"The legislation requires that online platforms put the interest of children first, providing an environment of safety by default," Wilkerson said.
She praised provisions of the proposed legislation, such as required annual audits of the risks to youth from these companies and the National Academy of Sciences getting access to algorithms to keep the companies in check.
"But with those two safeguards and oversight, the one 25 years ago didn't have oversight and this one has oversight built in, I think that's what makes the difference," she said.
Lieske says social media has led to higher rates of depression and suicide among teens.
Washington State recently joined a lawsuit against Facebook and Instagram, accusing the companies of targeting children. Washington school districts, including Spokane Public Schools, are also suing social media giants, alleging they've contributed to a mental health crisis.
Dr. Krista Crotty from The Emily Program pointed to social media influencers, many of them minors, who promote unhealthy and sometimes dangerous body images.
“Every 53 minutes a person dies due to complications associated with an eating disorder in our country today," she said. "Thirty-three percent of pro-eating disorder content creators are minors in our country today.”
Dr. Crotty said, using Instagram, she was told if she were 16 years old, she'd need to lose 26 pounds and look best as a size 1. She says messages like these reach tens of millions of adolescents and contribute to eating disorders, the third-leading chronic health condition among teen girls.
The group says KOSA would also increase transparency for parents to keep an eye on their child's online interactions. Bingle says this will further protect them from companies and potential predators.
Wilkerson said she's already been in contact with Senator Maria Cantwell about getting the bill passed.
Kyle VonEnde, spokesman for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, said she has helped lead the push to create stronger protections for kids online, including "advanced comprehensive national data privacy and security legislation" with the Energy and Commerce Committee. He says the congresswoman is committed to working with Senator Cantwell and others to protect kids online.
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