In a last-ditch effort to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) before Congress adjourns, X CEO Linda Yaccarino has collaborated with the bill's authors to update the legislation, hoping to win over Republican House leaders who have been hesitant to support the measure.

The announcement marks the latest example of Elon Musk's growing influence in shaping government policy, with his companies taking on significant roles in influencing legislative outcomes. While it's not uncommon for external stakeholders, including companies, to provide input on pending legislation, the fact that KOSA's sponsors, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), have publicly acknowledged X's contributions suggests they believe it will be instrumental in securing the bill's passage.

KOSA aims to create a safer online environment for children by imposing a duty of care on tech platforms to prevent and mitigate specific harms when they implement certain design features, such as photo filters and infinite scroll. The bill has already passed overwhelmingly in the Senate but has stalled in the House, with critics fearing it could be used to censor disliked speech or lead to a more restricted internet due to platforms' fears of legal risk.

The updated bill includes a clarification that it cannot be used to enforce platforms' duty of care based on users' viewpoints expressed through protected speech. Additionally, the duty of care with respect to anxiety and depressive disorders will only be enforceable when these conditions are "objectively verifiable" and linked to "compulsive usage." These changes are designed to address concerns that the bill could be weaponized against certain types of speech or lead to unintended consequences.

Yaccarino's endorsement of the bill on behalf of X earlier this year has been seen as a significant development, particularly given that CEOs of other major tech companies, such as Meta and Google, have not publicly supported the legislation. KOSA supporters have pointed to tech lobbying as a key obstacle to the bill's passage, and Yaccarino's involvement may help to alleviate some of these concerns.

However, Republican leadership in the House remains a significant hurdle to the bill's passage. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has expressed reservations about the bill's details, citing concerns about "unintended consequences." House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) is viewed as potentially even harder to win over, with Punchbowl News reporting that he is concerned about the scope of the duty of care in the bill.

Despite these challenges, the updated bill and X's involvement may yet prove instrumental in securing KOSA's passage before Congress adjourns. As lawmakers scramble to finalize legislation in the remaining weeks, the fate of the Kids Online Safety Act hangs in the balance, with significant implications for the future of online safety and free speech.

In the broader context, this development highlights the growing influence of tech companies in shaping government policy, with Elon Musk's companies taking on increasingly prominent roles in this regard. As the intersection of technology and policy continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how this trend will impact the legislative landscape in the years to come.