At a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) spoke with Tamia Woods, whose son died by suicide after being targeted in an online sextortion scheme. Blackburn, a strong supporter of the Kids Online Safety Act, emphasized the need to hold Big Tech accountable and prevent platforms from enabling similar exploitation.
The hearing focused on the push to pass the Senate version of the Kids Online Safety Act. Senator Blackburn's office compared existing protections for children in the physical world with the lack of similar safeguards online, noting that “in the virtual space, our children are vulnerable 24/7.” She also told Woods that her son “was literally cyberbullied to death” as she asked why social media platforms should be required to build safety measures into their design.
Woods revealed troubling practices by tech companies, saying, “Google directly messages your child and tells them that they no longer need parental control,” once they turn 13. She noted that parental controls are insufficient and argued that stronger laws could alert parents to their children's distress in real time. According to Senator Blackburn's office, reflecting on her loss, she added, “I wish that, even today, three years later, I would have known half of the things that I would have had, or even be put in a position where I could have taught my son to come to us.”
The discussion emphasized the importance of parental engagement in preventing child exploitation. Senator Blackburn asked Woods for advice to other parents, and she urged parents to talk to their children about sextortion and any other child exploitation. Reflecting on her loss, she added that she would give anything to have her son back and that if it means she can save other children, she will do it, as reported by Blackburn’s office. Her testimony underscored the urgent need to protect children in the digital age.
