1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to express my deep opposition to AB 3080, the age verification mandate for websites with material harmful to minors. I believe this law is a violation of my constitutional right as an adult to access legal speech without government interference or surveillance. I am particularly concerned about the lack of privacy safeguards for consumers in this law. At a time of rampant identity theft, I am uncomfortable with any system that requires me to share critical identification data with third-party sites. Showing my ID at a liquor store is simply not the same as linking a digital ID to my browsing history. There have already been reports of identity theft in Louisiana due to the law. Our browsing history is highly sensitive, and I am concerned about the potential surveillance of this data. I do not believe the assurances made in the bill are adequate to prevent monitoring and unauthorized disclosure of this data. I urge you to reconsider this law and instead focus on education and parental involvement to help protect minors online. Just one-third of parents use any content filters at all — and yet the burden of this law falls on the consumer. It is the duty of parents and guardians to monitor and guide their children’s online activity. I implore you to listen to the concerns of your constituents and vote NO on AB 3080. Our rights as adults, our privacy as citizens, and the principles of a free and open internet are at stake.