Technology
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Technology
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Senators mull future of kids' digital safety
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Senators on the Judiciary Committee are back to the drawing board as they consider paths forward to strengthen kids' safety in a digital world.
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The Senate Judiciary Committee brought the conversation surrounding kids online safety back to the Capitol, holding a hearing Wednesday about strengthening protections for children online and addressing the legal gaps that come with the issue.
The hearing comes as senators look to revive legislation, like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), that didn't make it across the finish line amid GOP opposition in the House last year.
Committee members on both sides of the aisle were largely in agreement that major technology companies need new pathways, including in court, to be held accountable for the alleged harms their platforms can cause children and teens.
“Should tech platforms be allowed to profit at the expense of our children’s privacy, safety, and health? Should they be allowed to contribute to a toxic digital ecosystem without being held accountable?" Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said in his opening statement.
"I believe the answer is clear. When these platforms fail to implement adequate safety measures, they are complicit in the harm that follows, and they should be held accountable.”
The committee heard from tech and child safety advocates and those who handle the legal side of these issues.
Many lawmakers appeared interesting in amending Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which largely shields Big Tech companies from legal action regarding their platforms.
"A myth has been created about it [Section 230], that it somehow created the internet and somehow the internet will break without it and that's simply not true," Mary Graw Leary, a professor of law at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, told the committee.
"And if it ever was true, this is no longer a fledgling business that needs that kind of support, instead it needs to be treated like every other business."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a fierce Big Tech critic, emphasized how parents and victims looking for legal recourse are likely going to be unsuccessful due to the limitations of Section 230.
"You're probably gonna end up losing," Josh Pizzuro, the CEO of Raven, an advocacy group fighting child exploitation, told Hawley when asked about the chances of success with legal action.
On our radar: Lawmakers largely hinted a bill to remove Big Tech's legal immunity is coming this week. Previous attempts to pass such a bill have been unsuccessful, though it is unclear if the legislation will differ from years past.
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Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we're Julia Shapero and Miranda Nazzaro — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.
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How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:
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Microsoft on Wednesday revealed its first quantum computing chip, Majorana 1, stating it will speed up the development of quantum computers able to solve “meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades.” The chip’s release marks a major step for quantum computing, a branch of technology that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to process problems that are too complex or taxing for classic …
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President Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk sat down for a joint interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity and defended the administration’s massive overhaul of the federal government while giving some insights into their friendship. The interview was the latest display of Trump putting Musk in the spotlight, following an Oval Office appearance by the Tesla CEO last week in which he fielded several questions from reporters …
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President Trump on Monday dismissed questions over Elon Musk’s official title after the White House said the tech billionaire is not part of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). “Elon is, to me, a patriot. So, you know, you could call him an employee, you could call him a consultant, you could call him whatever you want. But he’s a patriot, I mean took at the kind of things,” Trump told reporters, referring to cost-cutting …
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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy has shuttered its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs as well as work on immigration reform as it reduces social advocacy work, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) announced Tuesday. “Given the shifting regulatory and legal landscape, we will no longer have a diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility team at CZI,” CZI’s chief operating officer …
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The nitty gritty of crypto's wish list
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© AP Photo/Richard Drew, File
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Welcome to Crypto Corner, a new feature in The Hill's Technology newsletter focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington.
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Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase laid out its policy vision Wednesday, offering a concrete look at what the industry is hoping to see from Congress after a major lobbying effort in the 2024 race.
The blueprint, written by Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad, issued a stark warning against inaction, suggesting the U.S. will fall behind on the global stage is “thoughtful legislation” is not passed.
The blog post comes as the Trump administration and various policymakers in Congress embrace the cryptocurrency industry after years of hostility from the Biden administration, which went after crypto giants like Coinbase.
Coinbase's wish list includes:
- Measures that will clearly define digital assets
-Clear rules on how developers can raise capital for blockchain projects
-Giving the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversight of crypto spot trading.
Read more about what Coinbase is looking for at TheHill.com.
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News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
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Elon Musk's X in talks to fundraise at a $44 billion valuation (Bloomberg News)
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Instagram updates DMs with music sharing, message scheduling, translation (TechCrunch)
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Branch out with other reads on The Hill:
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Confidence in air safety and federal government agencies that help sustain it has dropped in 2025 after the deadly Reagan National Airport crash near Washington that killed 67 people, according to a new survey that was released on Wednesday. The new Associated Press (AP)-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that 64 percent of Americans said travel via plane is “somewhat” or “very safe.” The figure represents …
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Two key stories on The Hill right now:
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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Wednesday pushed back against President Trump after the White House rescinded approval of Manhattan’s congestion … Read more
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A federal judge on Wednesday looked to pinpoint the exact duties of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffers during a hearing over whether … Read more
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Opinion related to tech submitted to The Hill:
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