Taylor Lorenz’s Power User The Government Is Lying About Online Safety
21 snips
May 30, 2025 Ari Cohen, Lead Counsel for Tech Policy at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), dives into the complexities of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). He explains how KOSA, despite its safety claims, poses risks of censorship that could harm essential online communities, particularly for LGBTQ youth. The conversation also examines the tension between free speech and government regulations, questioning the true motivations behind such legislation. Cohen advocates for a more nuanced approach to online safety, highlighting the importance of protecting free expression.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
KOSA Threatens Internet Freedom
- The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) dangerously gives government power to censor internet speech under the guise of protecting children.
- This impacts vital online spaces like mental health and LGBTQ+ communities that youth rely on for support and identity.
Duty of Care Enables Censorship
- KOSA’s "duty of care" forces platforms to filter out content deemed harmful, effectively censoring large swaths of speech.
- For example, if LGBTQ+ content is labeled harmful by government, platforms will exclude it, isolating vulnerable youth.
Subjectivity of Harmful Content
- "Harmful content" is subjective and changes with whoever defines it, risking censorship shifts with political power.
- Both conservative and liberal governments might weaponize KOSA to target oppositional content.
