What to know about the Kids Online Safety Act and its chances of passing

AP Technology Writer

The last time Congress passed a law to protect children on the internet was in 1998 — before Facebook, before the iPhone and long before today’s oldest teenagers were born. Now, bill aiming to protect kids from the harms of social media, gaming sites and other online platforms appears to have enough bipartisan support to pass, though whether it actually will remains uncertain. Supporters, including parent and pediatrician groups say the bill is a necessary first step in regulating tech companies and requiring them to protect children from harmful online content and take responsibility for the harms their platforms can cause.