1. United States
2. Ill.
3. Letter

I'm asking you to vote no on HB5511, the Children's Social Media Safety Act. Age verification mandates like this one don't protect kids—they create dangerous surveillance systems that harm everyone. These laws require platforms to collect sensitive personal information through government ID uploads, facial scanning, or invasive data sharing. That puts my privacy and security at risk every time I access lawful content online. More than half of U.S. states have already passed similar requirements, and they're creating barriers to accessing information that can be life-saving, especially for young people seeking resources on mental health, LGBTQ+ issues, or abuse. Age verification undermines the free speech rights of both adults and young people. It forces platforms to become gatekeepers and turns the internet into a system of exclusion and censorship. The people these laws claim to protect—young people—will be harmed most by being cut off from vital information and communities. Instead of building new surveillance infrastructure, we need a strong federal privacy law that actually protects everyone's data. Vote no on HB5511.