On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) stated that passing age verification legislation to protect children online is getting pushback from groups that he believes are funded by Meta that make inaccurate arguments that “if you’re LGBTQ, you need the Internet.”
Khanna said, “You’ve got hundreds of millions of kids on these platforms. I had moms in my office [who] had lost children because of the choking challenge online, because they’re getting fentanyl online. Here, of course, you’ve got these video games where kids are being preyed on. There’s a Kids Online Safety Act. There are only 15 members of Congress on the House who are on that bill. We’ve got to pass that. The Senate wants to pass it.”
After the discussion turned to why there’s pushback on passing something like that, Khanna stated, “I think there are some tech lobbyists who are pushing back on it. … I think there are groups that are, some funded by Meta, and they make arguments that I don’t think hold water. They say, well, if you’re LGBTQ, you need the Internet. But, you know what, the bullying is more for LGBTQ kids online, three times [more] than it is for non-LGBTQ kids. And all the Kids Online Safety Act is saying, is age verification, protect children, make sure there’s a standard of harm. So, I think this is a case, really, where tech lobbyists need to be defeated and let’s pass the bill.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
