Lawmakers urge federal online safety law despite Meta's $18B state settlement

Meta's proposed $18 billion settlement with 47 states and territories over social media harms to young users does not eliminate the need for federal legislation, according to Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal. They argue that the settlement's safety changes apply only to Facebook and Instagram, while a broader law like the Kids Online Safety Act would cover all platforms. The Senate Commerce Committee advanced KOSA earlier this month, but a floor vote has not been scheduled, and a competing House bill takes a different approach.