WASHINGTON—Today, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade will hold a hearing on the App Store Freedom Act, a bill that guts the privacy protections, security safeguards, and consumer protections Americans rely on every day.
“ASFA invites every bad actor blocked by traditional app store security features to gain access to phones across the country,” said Amy Bos, Vice President of Government Affairs at NetChoice.
“The App Store Freedom Act is dressed up as competition reform, but in practice it strips away the very safeguards that keep American families safe online.”
This bill creates countless security and privacy risks, including:
- No comparable security bar. It would force Apple and Google to give third-party apps and stores the same access as vetted apps—creating a system built to whatever standard the least responsible developer chooses.
- A weaker backstop. When bad actors slip through, platforms can revoke their access, cutting off the threat fast. ASFA undermines that ability, leaving consumers exposed for longer.
- National security issue. Forced sideloading strips platforms of their ability to screen out state-linked, foreign-backed malware, handing geopolitical rivals an easier path into American devices and data.
Just look at Europe. Since the Digital Markets Act forced interoperability, researchers, cybersecurity agencies, and regulators have all tracked a rise in fraudulent banking apps and malware distributed through newly opened channels.
The people who benefit most from this bill are bad actors who get a shortcut around the safeguards U.S. companies have built. Policymakers should reject the App Store Freedom Act and instead pursue policies that strengthen the security architecture protecting Americans.
Don’t just take our word for it; see what the experts are saying here.
Read our coalition letter in Opposition to the App Store Freedom Act here.
Amy Bos is available for interviews on the matter. Please contact press@netchoice.org with inquiries.
Image via Unsplash.