Governor Josh Green, M.D.

Hawai‘i is helping lead a nationwide effort to make the internet safer for children and teens.

Attorney General Anne Lopez is leading a coalition of 40 attorneys general from across the country in urging Congress to pass stronger federal protections to keep children safe online.

In a letter sent to leaders in the U.S. House and Senate, the group called for action on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bill designed to reduce online harms to children and teens.

They are advocating for federal legislation intended to require social media platforms to take meaningful steps to prevent harm to minors, while preserving states’ ability to enforce their own laws protecting minors.

States like Hawai‘i have taken important steps to address growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people. Attorneys general across the country have investigated and filed lawsuits against major platforms, including Meta and TikTok, over allegations that their products are designed in ways that can be harmful or addictive to underage users.

The coalition expressed concern that the current House version of KOSA could limit states’ authority to enforce existing online safety laws, or respond to new and emerging digital threats. Instead, the attorneys general voiced support for the Senate version of the bill, which would require social media companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm to minors while preserving states’ enforcement powers.

“Hawai‘i and other states have led the way in responding to evolving digital harms and holding online platforms accountable,” said Attorney General Lopez. “We urge Congress to pass a strong Kids Online Safety Act that puts children’s safety first and allows states to continue protecting our keiki.”

A copy of the letter is available on the Department of the Attorney General’s website at ATG.Hawaii.gov.