Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has passed legislation designed to protect children from dangerous online content. It’s pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm they cause. The bill has bipartisan support and has been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying. It would force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms frequently used by minors, requiring them to ensure they generally default to the safest settings possible. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut wrote the bill with Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.