On the Senate's Last Night Before the Midterms, Rand Paul Blocks the Kids Online Safety Act Again — Calling It "a Pandora's Box of Unintended Consequences" That Will Stifle "First Amendment Protected Speech," While Richard Blumenthal Says "the Duty of Care Has Nothing to Do With Censorship"
On the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, hours before the Senate adjourned until Nov. 9 for the midterm elections, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked for unanimous consent to pass the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which he wrote with Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) objected, blocking the bill. It was one of more than 20 unanimous-consent requests senators made in their final week in session, most of which were blocked. The Senate version of KOSA would impose a "duty of care" requiring platforms to "exercise reasonable care" to prevent harms to minors, including eating disorders, suicide, substance use disorders and sexual exploitation; the House passed a different version, without the duty of care but with age-verification requirements, as part of a broader package in June. The Senate passed an earlier version 91-3 in 2024. Paul, the lone vote against cloture in 2024, argued the duty of care would chill protected speech. Blumenthal said he and Blackburn would push for passage "as soon as we return" in the lame-duck session, and that they had a "general commitment" but no date for a vote.
“I'm feeling very hopeful because the focus on AI is building the momentum for the Kids Online Safety Act. I think there will be a real push for it.”