The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade is scheduled to hold a hearing focused on technology-related legislation, including the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Reports indicate that lawmakers are considering combining KOSA with measures that would preempt state-level artificial intelligence (AI) regulations in a single legislative package.
Jessica Melugin, Director of the Center for Technology and Innovation at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), commented on the potential implications of this approach. She stated, “Well-crafted preemption of some state AI regulation is critical to US leadership around the globe and to ensure the promise of this technology. But it shouldn’t come at the expense of Americans’ constitutional right to speech, their ability to preserve their privacy online, or the primacy of parental control in keeping kids safe online.”
Melugin has previously written about her concerns regarding KOSA and federal AI regulation. In an opinion piece for The Washington Times, she argued that KOSA does not serve as an adequate replacement for parental oversight. She has also advocated for federal preemption in AI regulation as a way to avoid inconsistent state laws.
