WASHINGTON—Today, a bill was introduced in Congress to force app stores to require minors and adults to submit sensitive personal information to access lawful, protected speech on digital tools—violating their rights.
The bill violates protected First Amendment rights, conditioning Americans’ access to protected speech online on whether they are willing to forfeit sensitive documentation to app stores. Americans will thus lose access to legitimate speech. Meanwhile, minors can simply work around this by visiting browsers and using laptops. The courts agree—NetChoice has successfully permanently blocked two similar laws in Arkansas and Ohio.
“A newly introduced bill in Congress that conditions Americans’ access to lawful speech on whether they hand over sensitive personal information to app stores violates their First Amendment rights,” said Amy Bos, NetChoice Director of State & Federal Affairs. “We urge Congress to pursue constitutional solutions, such as federal data privacy standards, enhanced law enforcement funding through the Invest in Child Safety Act and education for families to protect Americans and their children without compromising their freedom.”
NetChoice believes in meaningful and constitutional solutions to digital challenges. We strongly encourage Congress to work with stakeholders to develop constitutionally-sound policies that avoid costly legal challenges, such as:
- Pass a federal data privacy standard to ensure the data of all Americans and their families are protected;
- Bolstering law enforcement to get predators in prison and off the internet and the streets by passing the bipartisan Invest in Child Safety Act;
- Supporting digital safety education for kids in the classroom; and
- Working with industry to ensure parents are empowered to understand and use the many tools offered by digital services to control and monitor their children’s digital experience.
NetChoice fights to keep online communication safe and free. We hope to work with the 119th Congress on meaningful and constitutional solutions to digital challenges, especially to help American families. This bill, however, does not accomplish that goal.
Please contact press@netchoice.org with inquiries.