Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) is leading a bill introduced by Representative John James (R-MI) that would impose greater accountability on app stores for selling adult-oriented apps to minors.
Specifically, the App Store Accountability Act requires companies such as Amazon, Google, Apple, and other app distributors to prevent adult-oriented apps from reaching minors by requiring age verification for access to app store identification and parental consent for users under 18 on app stores. This is enforced by linking minors' devices to those of their parents.
"Requiring parental consent before kids can download apps is a commonsense measure that ensures parents have the ability to stay informed and engaged in their children's digital lives, helping to prevent exposure to harmful apps and privacy risks," Rep. Bilirakis said in his press release, adding, "By equipping parents with effective, easy-to-use tools and resources, we empower them to better protect their children while fostering open communication and digital literacy within families."
Rep. James, who introduced the bill, said, "Kids cannot consent — and any company that exposes them to addictive or adult material should be held accountable."
"The App Store Accountability Act holds Big Tech companies to the same standard as local corner stores. It safeguards the next generation by empowering parents and ensures that when it comes to protecting children, no one is above the law," Rep. James continued.
The bill comes on the heels of Rep. Bilirakis's praise of the TAKE IT DOWN Act passing the House of Representatives, which aims to counter "revenge porn" and "deepfakes," which are sexual images, real or created via artificial intelligence (AI), of people posted online without the victim's knowledge or consent.
The Florida Congressman's colleague, Representative Laurel Lee (R-FL), has also been a recent voice in protecting minors online, arguing that the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 is woefully outdated in a hearing held at the end of March.
Ethics and Public Policy Center Fellow Clare Morell described how Big Tech has outmaneuvered content filters and faces no accountability for implementing an intentionally addictive design into their feed systems. Similarly, National Center on Sexual Exploitation's Senior Advisor Dawn Hawkins said that COPPA has effectively made the digital age of adulthood 13, allowing companies to distribute harmful material to minors with impunity.
