Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released a video on Monday highlighting the critical need to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which aims to enhance children's digital safety and privacy.

In the video, titled “Why We Must Pass the Kids Online Safety Act,” Blackburn speaks with Kathy, a Tennessee mother whose 17-year-old son, Vaughn-Thomas, tragically died after taking a fentanyl-laced pill he may have purchased via Snapchat. Kathy recounts finding her son unresponsive after he took what he believed was Xanax, which turned out to be counterfeit and laced with fentanyl.

Blackburn, who co-authored the KOSA bill with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), explains that the legislation would mandate social media platforms to prioritize safety and implement a duty of care. The bill seeks to regulate the features that tech and social media companies can offer to minors, addressing long-standing concerns about the impact of social media on youth mental health.

“We have discovered numerous cases where children meet drug dealers online, with precursors coming from China to Mexico and then brought into the U.S. by drug cartels,” Blackburn stated. “Over 100,000 Americans die each year due to these drugs.”

KOSA passed the Senate with a 91-3 vote in late July, as part of a legislative package that also includes the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Action Act, known as COPPA 2.0. Despite strong Senate support, the bill has stalled in the House due to leadership resistance. House GOP leaders have expressed concerns that the bill could lead to censorship and expand the Federal Trade Commission's authority.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee faces pressure to advance the bill before lawmakers leave Washington for a pre-election recess. Last Thursday, a group of parents whose children have been harmed by social media gathered outside the Capitol to urge the committee to act. Blackburn and Blumenthal's offices have reported that dozens of parents and youth from various advocacy groups will meet with House offices this week to push for KOSA's passage.