Arlington, VA – A coalition of taxpayer and consumer organizations is calling on state lawmakers across the country to oppose mandated online age verification legislation. While protecting children online is a priority, these proposals threaten Americans’ free speech rights, compromise data privacy, and ultimately fail to provide effective solutions.
Key Takeaways:
- Unconstitutional Burden on Free Speech: Courts have repeatedly struck down similar laws for violating the First Amendment, with judges ruling that age verification mandates impose undue restrictions on lawful online expression.
- Privacy and Security Risks: Unlike showing an ID at a store, online verification often requires submitting government documents or biometric scans, increasing the risk of data breaches and identity theft.
- Ineffectiveness of Age Verification: Minors can easily bypass these restrictions through VPNs, shared devices, or adult accounts, making enforcement ineffective while placing unnecessary burdens on businesses and consumers.
Rather than implementing broad and unconstitutional age verification mandates, lawmakers should focus on empowering parents and communities to foster a safer online environment. This includes promoting existing parental control tools and digital literacy programs to equip children with the skills needed to navigate online spaces responsibly.
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