this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2023
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KOSA is a bill that aims to protect children online but it would do so in harmful ways. First, it would pressure platforms to install content filters that would censor large amounts of content, including important suicide prevention and LGBTQ+ support resources. Content filters have a history of overblocking important information. Second, KOSA would ramp up online surveillance of all users by expanding age verification and parental monitoring tools. These tools are unnecessarily invasive and pose risks to young people trying to escape abuse. Over 90 rights groups agree that KOSA is dangerous and cannot be fixed through amendments. If you value a free and open internet, contact your lawmakers to reject KOSA.

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[–] storksforlegs@beehaw.org 99 points 2 years ago (4 children)

"Protect the children" is the new "fight terror". Big empty phrases that only end up taking away rights and targeting minorities.

[–] Erk@cdda.social 23 points 2 years ago (3 children)

True, but not new. It's been this since before "fight terror" in fact.

[–] Zorque@kbin.social 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's coined as the "Helen Lovejoy Syndrome" after a Simpson's episode from the nineties.

[–] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 6 points 2 years ago

Won't somebody please think of the children?

[–] Omgpwnies@lemmy.ninja 5 points 2 years ago (2 children)

"The war on drugs" has entered the chat

[–] Erk@cdda.social 2 points 2 years ago

Won't someone please think of the children?!

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[–] storksforlegs@beehaw.org 3 points 2 years ago

Yes, true. I guess its more of a shitty comeback, worse than before.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 14 points 2 years ago

Always has been.

Mighty convenient how so many of these "protect the children" groups end up with kiddie diddlers on staff.

https://news.yahoo.com/alabama-anti-abortion-advocate-charged-190424945.html

[–] prole@beehaw.org 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Possibly even worse since it's very often used as a cover for CSA. Not just minorities in this case that are being harmed, we're talking about literal children. It's fucking horrific.

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[–] P1r4nha@feddit.de 10 points 2 years ago

"Fight terror" has only really be an excuse since 9/11. Before they had others including protecting children. Only the anti-trans stuff is newish.

[–] swnt@feddit.de 81 points 2 years ago (1 children)

protect children online

I've yet to see any single new law proposal, that actually tackles this problem rather than misusing it's emotional trigger to get acceptance for surveillance and control

[–] prole@beehaw.org 29 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Meanwhile... child labor protections? Who needs em? Protections against child marriage (or let's call it what it is, rape)? They'll be fine. God wills it, after all, and it's in the Bible (or so they're told, very few of them actually read it).

Meanwhile, actual abuse is happening constantly in the Catholic (and others) church, and what do they do? Just shuffle 'em around a little bit. They "repented", so that means we can leave him alone with kids in Montana now instead of New Mexico. Problem solved! Thank the lord!

These fuckers have zero interest in actually protecting children, and for a good chunk of them, they're actively working toward the exact opposite.

[–] zergling_man@lemmy.perthchat.org 73 points 2 years ago
[–] donut4ever@lemm.ee 26 points 2 years ago (2 children)

WHY ARE "THE CHILDREN" ONLINE?????!!!!! Where are their fucking parents?

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 31 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Overworked, underpaid, and relying on technology to distract the kids. Not a lot different from 80's and 90's parents, except you know, poorer and more time-strapped.

[–] donut4ever@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Same here, overworked and underpaid, two kids. Neither has a smartphone nor has access to any social media site beside kids YouTube and Netflix. I meant kids shouldn't be on social media, in my original comment. I always utilize the iPad for my daughter when I'm working or need her to sit so I can get shit done. My son, who's the oldest, doesn't have a phone yet. He has two gaming consoles, neither of them has online access for multiplayer. That's what I mean by why are kids on the internet.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Not trying to dog on other parents, but just like when I was growing up a lot of parents either didn't know/didn't care what their kids were watching on TV, and didn't make a lot of effort to control it. Many parents now are sadly similar in not paying attention to their kids' internet habits.

You're being a good parent. I don't know why other people struggle with this idea. In my opinion, you should just be proud of yourself and disappointed in other parents who don't take the same measures.

I will say those other parents make it difficult, though. My sister had to drop a lot of her parental controls eventually because her kids would go to friends' houses with unrestricted internet access, and you just can't control that. Even if you are involved with what your kids watch at home, once they are out of your eyesight and with other people, they can get access. Anyway, denying them access was causing more fights between her and her kids than it was worth. They saw that other kids had unrestricted access, and they wanted that, too. On the plus side, they were already 14 by this time, but still, it became a huge headache because other parents didn't care.

Anyway once again, good on you, mate. Keep being a thoughtful and involved parent, we need more of y'all.

[–] donut4ever@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

Thank you. The key thing is that I didn't make it "I'm your parent and I control your life", no, I reasoned with him and explained to him whatever we do. I have built a very good friendship with my son that he trusts me when I do something for him. I'll never make him feel that I control his life or what he does on the PC, I've just made him aware of things. Not gonna lie, though, we do have one strict rule, no social media of any kind. Also, I'm too lazy to type all of this again, but here is my response to another commenter when they asked if my kid has a social life in real life (basically, they were worried that I'm caging my kids lol).

No, I have them both locked up in a cage in the middle of the Pacific ocean 😂 My friend, there is a whole world out there beside this virtual one (internet). My son goes outside all the time to play with his friends IN PERSON. Rides his bike with them, does sleep overs and whatever we did back in the day when we were kids. He just doesn't have any social media accounts. I have a full Linux PC sitting in his bedroom that he can do whatever he wants on. I just make sure he's safe on there. I have a firewall on there and an ad blocker on the browser. My daughter is special needs, so, that's another story :)

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[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I was online as a child. It's normal. Get used to it. Quit trying to break the Internet over it. Kids aren't delicate little flowers. No one's head exploded over seeing Lenna's nipple. (Not their big head, anyway…)

[–] donut4ever@lemm.ee 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I was, too, but agree with me or disagree, the intern back then wasn't as bad as it is right now.

[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago

Maybe so, but that's not because of the availability of porn, gore, or shady characters to chat with, all of which were already plentiful in the '90s. It's because of things like money-sucking video games targeted at kids, and unless I'm mistaken, KOSA does exactly diddly squat about it.

[–] orca@orcas.enjoying.yachts 23 points 2 years ago (2 children)

These bills are going to keep coming. The goal is erosion of rights and privacy at all costs.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 years ago

My entire life, they have never, ever once stopped trying to push the same bullshit through, over and over and over.

[–] prole@beehaw.org 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's so goddamn exhausting. A constant battle of attrition.

I'm just tired.... When do I get to just enjoy my life?

[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

When the populace collectively grows a brain and replaces these clowns with someone honest. People voted for these legislators, keep in mind.

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[–] DontMakeMoreBabies@kbin.social 15 points 2 years ago (2 children)

People need to take more responsibility for their kids - if you let them online, you'd better fucking understand what that entails and if not (gasp!) don't let them on the internet.

And if that's impossible for someone then why the fuck did they reproduce in the first place?

[–] bownage@beehaw.org 9 points 2 years ago

Because reproduction is a lot easier than education

[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Because their god told them to reproduce and not question it.

Religion is a hell of a drug.

[–] zerkrazus@kbin.social 9 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Same thing with banning books. This is fascist bullshit and it's not about protecting children or anyone else. It's about pushing their false Christianity, their christofascism on everyone whether they like it or not and trying to turn the country into a fascist "Christian" theocractic dictatorship where they can say and do whatever they want whenever they want about anything or anyone but no one else can.

[–] prole@beehaw.org 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

I was with you til the "false" part. As someone who grew up in a sect that actually read the book, ain't nothing false about this Christianity or these Christians.

It's inconvenient to admit, but the bible is an awful awful book.

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[–] bigb5wm@kbin.social 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

teach your kids about privacy online, later to use tor and I2p

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[–] torafugu@kbin.social 8 points 2 years ago

Since it is "for the children", I'm sure they won't give a shit about censorship.

Prepare your VPNs. This will be one hell of a ride.

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