FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 8, 2026

Contact: Ashwin Verghese, Communications Director, [email protected], 508-263-0289

Statement: Carney, Starmer Social Media Bans Are Loud Message to Big Tech

Fairplay Executive Director Josh Golin released the following statement today:

“The message this sends to Big Tech is loud and clear: If these companies refuse to take simple steps to make their products safer and less addictive for young people, then they should lose their right to target children. In the United States, that means dropping their opposition to the Kids Online Safety Act (S.1478), a massively popular, bipartisan bill that would require platforms to ensure their design is not causing addiction or other serious harms. KOSA already passed the Senate 91-3 two years ago, but lobbying from tech companies has helped prevent the bill from moving forward and becoming law. That has to stop.

“Parents want meaningful online protections for their kids. And now the leaders of two of our closest allies want to ban social media for children under 16 altogether. Let this be a wakeup call to Big Tech: Get out of the way of KOSA, or lose access to young people.”

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About Fairplay

Fairplay is the leading nonprofit committed to helping children thrive in an increasingly commercialized, screen-obsessed culture, and the only organization dedicated to ending marketing to children. Fairplay works to enhance children’s well-being by eliminating the exploitative and harmful business practices of marketers and Big Tech. Learn more at www.fairplayforkids.org.