AGE VERIFICATION ALL-HANDS-ON-DECK MOMENT
BAD NEWS: The House GOP and Democratic members of the Energy and Commerce Committee have been working on a package of age-verification bills and have finally struck a deal (I believe some of these are the same bills in the KIDS Act which they had passed out of committee a few months ago). Theoretically, this means that the House of Representatives could bring this package up for a vote at any time, with some reporters saying as early as this week or next week.
If this package were to pass it would still face an uphill battle as the House version of KOSA doesn't not include a duty of care provision, which the Senate wants.
However, we need to do everything to can to stop this from passing now, so it doesn't advance any further.
We must call House Leadership, our representatives, and our senators to express our opposition and we need to spread the work. If we can make noise and create pressure over how unpopular age verification is, it makes passing bills like these less enticing.
(Note: this is different from whatever deal the Senate and the White House are trying to reach over AI and age-verification)
You can use the resources linked to find more information and 5-calls to call:
All of the bad internet bills. One website.
Call Script on Page 2! Resources For Learning about KOSA Petitions: STOP KOSA Tell Congress: KOSA Will Censor the Internet But Won't Help
The leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee will unveil a bipartisan deal Monday on guardrails for protecting kids against online
Also noting that leaders in the push for age-verification don't like the House's version. So, if the House doesn't like the Senate version and the Senate doesn't like the House version, and no one likes Marsha Blackburn's AI package, that is a weakness/friction that can work in our favor, so PLEASE CALL TO OPPOSE:
AND PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD WHERE EVER YOU CAN!
MORE INFORMATION AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE CALLING
It looks like they're really trying to coalition-build around the KIDS Act, which isn't the best news. I believe friction still exists, but we must make our opposition known by calling this week and next week ahead of any possible vote!
(Edit: I believe this tweet is in referring to Kathy Castor, who isn't a Senator, but another member of the House who also sits on the Energy and Commerce Committee)
EVEN MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL!!!
A possible vote is next week and the House Speaker is supporting the package. Please call your representatives, Senators, and leadership now and through the weekend.
I know this is scary, I'm worried too, but we can't panic and give up. We must fight this at every step.
THESE BILLS COULD BE GETTING A VOTE AS EARLY AS TOMORROW CALL NOW, TOMORROW MORNING, AND BEYOND!
All of the bad internet bills. One website.
