The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that is designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm that they cause. The bill, which passed 91-3, has been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or have otherwise been harmed by online content.
The House has not yet acted on the bill, but Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he is 'committed to working to find consensus.' Supporters are hoping that the strong Senate vote will push the House to act before the end of the congressional session in January. The legislation is about allowing children, teens and parents 'to take back control of their lives online,' said Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who wrote the bill with Republican Sen.
Maurine Molak, the mother of a 16-year-old who died by suicide after 'months of relentless and threatening cyberbullying,' said she believes the bill can save lives. She urged every senator to vote for it. 'Anyone who believes that children's well-being and safety should come before big tech’s greed ought to put their mark on this historic legislation,' Molak said.