1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose any mandate for statewide online age verification or broad ID‑check requirements tied to the SAFE for Kids Act or related proposals like S8102A. While protecting children online is important, forcing platforms to collect or verify identity data creates centralized collections of sensitive information that are attractive targets for breaches, misuse, and surveillance. Device identifiers, government ID scans, biometrics, or third‑party verification services also risk function creep and chill lawful, private online activity. Universal ID checks sacrifice the privacy and anonymity of all users to address a problem parents and guardians can often manage directly. Parents already have robust tools—parental controls, family account settings, and device-level protections—that let them manage access without exposing everyone’s identity. Policymakers should prioritize privacy‑preserving approaches: promote parental control adoption and fund digital literacy for adults and children alike. Please reject one‑size‑fits‑all mandates that compel mass identity verification. Support solutions that protect children while preserving the digital privacy and civil liberties of all New Yorkers. Thank you for your attention.