1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

AB-3080, known as the Parent's Accountability and Child Protection Act, raises significant concerns regarding online privacy and the retention of personal information. While the intent is to restrict minors' access to certain products and services, the proposed measures risk infringing on individual privacy rights. The bill mandates that businesses verify a user's age through methods like providing government-issued identification or using a credit/debit card. This necessitates the collection and retention of sensitive personal data, potentially creating records of online activity without proper safeguards or consent. Such practices undermine the fundamental right to privacy and could enable unauthorized tracking or surveillance. Furthermore, the bill fails to include robust data protection measures or limitations on the use and sharing of collected information. This leaves users vulnerable to potential data breaches, identity theft, or misuse of their personal details by businesses or third parties. Protecting minors is a valid concern, but this legislation takes an overly broad approach that jeopardizes online privacy for all users. Alternative measures that balance age verification with robust privacy safeguards should be explored to address the issue more effectively without compromising fundamental rights. I urge you to oppose AB-3080 in its current form and instead pursue solutions that uphold online privacy while addressing the legitimate need to protect minors from harmful content or products. Comprehensive data protection measures and consent requirements must be incorporated to safeguard the privacy rights of all Californians.