Statement from Matthew P. Bergman, Founding Attorney, Social Media Victims Law Center
“Today, on Social Media Victims Remembrance Day, we honor children whose lives were cut short because social media companies put profit and engagement ahead of basic safety. For the families standing here, this day is not symbolic — it is a reminder of birthdays that will never be celebrated, empty chairs at dinner tables, and futures stolen by products that were never designed with their children in mind. No parent should ever have to carry that kind of grief.
These families show extraordinary courage. In the midst of unimaginable loss, they have chosen to speak out so that other parents never have to experience the same heartbreak. Their strength is a testament to the love they have for their children and to the urgency of this moment.
As lawmakers consider changes to the Kids Online Safety Act, we cannot forget what brought us here. KOSA was written because children were being harmed — and in too many cases, dying — while social media companies looked the other way. Weakening the duty‑of‑care or accountability provisions would leave families exactly where they are today: fighting billion‑dollar corporations that knowingly design products that endanger kids.
We owe these families more than sympathy. We owe them action. Congress has a responsibility to pass a strong KOSA that finally requires social media companies to protect the children who use their platforms every day. Anything less would be a betrayal of the families who have already lost so much, and of the children we still have the power to protect.”
