Attorney General Raúl Torrez Joins U.S. Senators Durbin and Hawley, Advocates in Washington to Demand Congressional Action to Protect Children Online

Washington, D.C. — Attorney General Raúl Torrez today stood alongside U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), and child safety advocates at a press conference in Washington, D.C. to demand that Congress take decisive action to protect America’s children online. The group called for passage of critical pieces of bipartisan legislation: the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), S. 1748, and the STOP CSAM Act, S. 1829.

Together, these bills represent the most significant congressional effort in a generation to rein in Big Tech and put the safety of children ahead of corporate profits.

“Big Tech will not reform on its own. It has shown time and again that if given the choice, it will choose profits over people,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “But the dam is breaking. Lawsuits like those in New Mexico and California will keep on coming. If Big Tech companies are forced to face accountability and liability for the harm they do, they will change their behavior. Congress has to do its part to make that happen.”

“No amount of profit by the Big Tech companies justifies destroying the lives of America’s children,” said Senator Josh Hawley. “I don’t care how much money they give to their shareholders. It doesn’t justify destroying the lives, the futures, the hopes, and the dreams of our children. Big Tech’s profits are coming from the exploitation of children. And what we’re saying today is we’ve had enough.”

“New Mexico has led the fight to hold Big Tech accountable, and we are not slowing down,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “But states cannot do this alone. We need Congress to pass KOSA with a real duty of care, and sunset the outdated legal immunity that has allowed these companies to profit from the exploitation of children with no consequences. The time for half measures is over.”

Subscribe to the Daily Las Cruces Digest

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *How would you like to be addressed in personalized emails?

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

The Senate version of KOSA would require social media platforms to provide young people and parents with the tools, safeguards, and transparency they need to protect against online harms. The bill establishes a duty of care requiring platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to minors, including suicide, eating disorders, sexual exploitation, bullying, and patterns of compulsive use. It also preserves states’ authority to enact their own laws providing greater protection for minors.

New Mexico has been at the forefront of holding Big Tech accountable in court. Earlier this year, a New Mexico jury found Meta liable on every count for misleading consumers and endangering children, ordering $375 million in civil penalties. On May 4, the New Mexico Department of Justice will return to the courtroom for a bench trial seeking a court order requiring comprehensive child safety protections, including mandatory age verification, a ban on addictive design features for minors, and independent oversight of Meta’s compliance. New Mexico’s fight against Meta underscores exactly why federal legislation is needed.

Attorney General Torrez calls on Congress to reject any effort to weaken these protections and to move swiftly to pass both bills.