Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has thrown its weight behind the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a children's online safety bill at the center of the White House's push to preempt state regulations on artificial intelligence, according to sources cited by Politico.
The decision marks a significant shift, as Meta had previously opposed similar legislation. The change came after KOSA was packaged with language that would preempt state AI laws and a separate bill requiring app stores to verify users' ages, the sources said.
While the sources did not provide specific percentages or dollar amounts, the package appears to address Meta's concerns about a patchwork of state regulations. The bill now includes provisions that would set a federal standard for AI oversight, potentially overriding stricter state-level rules.
The implications are far-reaching: if passed, KOSA could reshape how tech companies handle children's safety online, while also limiting states' ability to craft their own AI regulations. App store operators would face new mandates to verify user ages, affecting companies like Apple and Google.
Critics argue that preempting state AI laws could weaken consumer protections, especially in states that have proposed aggressive safeguards. The bill's fate remains uncertain as it moves through Congress.