Attorney General Jay Jones joined a coalition of attorneys general on May 28 in writing a letter opposing the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), H.R. 7757, arguing that the bill would weaken digital safety protections for Virginia’s children.
Jones said, “The KIDS Act is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, claiming to protect young Virginians online when in reality this bill will put children’s social media health in the hands of the companies that are currently attempting to skirt existing state law through their platforms. This bill is an attempt to step over the authority of both parents and guardians as well as the states’ enforcement powers. Virginia’s children deserve to be protected from unscrupulous Big Tech companies, and this office will use every legal tool available to fight for them.”
According to Jones and other attorneys general, the KIDS Act allows technology companies to avoid responsibility for what occurs on their platforms and prioritizes corporate growth over minors’ well-being. The coalition also argued that parts of the bill would eliminate critical age verification standards and create loopholes around artificial intelligence chatbots that could endanger young people.
Research cited by Jones demonstrates negative mental health consequences resulting from unregulated access by young people to online platforms such as social media. He said instead of empowering states with more tools for intervention, “the KIDS Act is another attempt by the federal government to grab power and limit state authority to put children over profits.”
Jones was joined by 43 other attorneys general representing states including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, North Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
The Attorney General of Virginia supports civil rights enforcement and victim assistance programs while providing legal counsel and representation for state agencies across Virginia. The office also addresses issues such as human trafficking and domestic violence through legal advocacy while offering consumer protection resources related to identity theft and fraud reporting, according to the official website.
