Congress's Crusade to Age Gate the Internet: 2025 in Review
Summary
In 2025, Congress considered nearly twenty federal proposals aimed at protecting children online, many of which involved age-verification checks. The EFF and other organizations successfully stalled these efforts, particularly the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which they argue would enable surveillance, censorship, and government overreach. While these bills stalled, the EFF anticipates further attempts to pass similar legislation.
IFF Assessment
The article discusses the EFF's successful efforts to stall legislation that would have been detrimental to online privacy and free speech, which is a win for defenders of these rights.
Severity
Defender Context
Defenders should monitor legislative efforts related to online content regulation and age verification, as these can introduce new compliance requirements and impact user privacy. The trend towards regulating online content, especially concerning children, is likely to continue, necessitating proactive engagement and adaptation. Defenders should prepare for increased scrutiny on data collection and content moderation practices.