Author Urges Big Tech Tax to Fund Nonprofit Internet for Under-16 Children
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jul 14
Author Urges Big Tech Tax to Fund Nonprofit Internet for Under-16 Children
1 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jul 14
Summary
A new proposal calls for taxing major tech companies to finance a nonprofit “children’s public internet” built around kid-focused, noncommercial online services.
The plan argues child-safety policy has focused too heavily on bans and age checks, even as a Pew survey found more than 50% of U.S. respondents backed barring social media for under-16s.
Potential grant recipients would include ad-free news and education sites, community-moderated social platforms, open-source game spaces and privacy-conscious age-verification tools designed for minors.
The case rests on stripping out profit incentives blamed for addictive design, invasive advertising and weak moderation, while offering children alternatives to Instagram, TikTok, Discord and riskier fringe platforms.
The proposal arrives after the U.S. House passed the KIDS Act in late June and as countries test stricter youth internet rules, including Australia’s ban that one study said more than 80% of kids bypassed.
Can a tax on Big Tech create a digital playground that truly rivals the platforms kids already love?
We can build a safer internet for kids, but how do we convince them to actually use it?
As AI deepfakes defeat age verification, is a publicly funded internet the only way to protect children online?
State Digital Ad Taxes on Big Tech: Funding a Safer, Ad-Free Internet for Children
Overview
States across the U.S. are increasingly considering taxes on major technology companies due to concerns about their immense profits from targeted advertising and the desire to fund public services like education. Tech giants such as Meta and Google earn the majority of their revenue from digital ads, prompting lawmakers to seek new revenue streams. The push for digital advertising taxes is also driven by worries about the social impact of these platforms, especially on children. As a result, state lawmakers are advocating for these taxes to both address corporate profits and support essential public programs.