Marsha Blackburn
05/13/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/13/2026 11:49
Blackburn, Blumenthal Announce OpenAI Endorsement of Kids Online Safety Act Ahead of Senate Hearing on Landmark Social Media Verdicts
Blackburn, Blumenthal Announce OpenAI Endorsement of Kids Online Safety Act Ahead of Senate Hearing on Landmark Social Media Verdicts
May 13, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Richard Blumenthal(D-Conn.) released the following statements announcing a new endorsement from OpenAI for their Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA). Later today, Senator Blackburn, who serves as the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, will lead a hearing examining why landmark social media verdicts demand federal action to protect kids online.
Yesterday, Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal joined a rally at the U.S. Capitol with parents who are urging Congress to pass KOSA. During the rally, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) promised he would advance the legislation out of committee and help get it signed into law by the end of the year. 86% of Americans want Big Tech companies to be held accountable for their role in the social media addiction crisis.
"Every Big Tech company should be willing to work with Congress to ensure America's children are safe on its platforms, and we welcome OpenAI's support for the Kids Online Safety Act," said Senator Blackburn. "Lip service won't save lives - Congress must take action to establish guardrails in the virtual space. I look forward to chairing a hearing on why the verdicts in California and New Mexico should spur Congress to hold Big Tech accountable for exploiting children to turn a profit."
"A few weeks ago, juries in New Mexico and California legally recognized that American families have known: social media companies are hurting children," said Senator Blumenthal. "Today, OpenAI's endorsement adds to the overwhelming recognition even by Big Tech itself that it's time to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. Increasingly the only people opposed to this bill are Mark Zuckerberg and his lobbyists. It's time for anyone left in his camp to choose the right side of history and join us."
"We're really excited to support the Kids Online Safety Act and for the bipartisan leadership of Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal," said Chris Lehane, Vice President of Global Affairs at OpenAI. "When it comes to tech, we should treat kids as kids and that means making sure it is safe, age-appropriate, and grounded in real-world support. KOSA is a big and important step toward doing right by our kids."
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Marsha Blackburn published this content on May 13, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 13, 2026 at 17:49 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]