I'm writing to urge you to oppose the SCREEN Act (S. 737/H.R. 1623). While protecting children online is a goal we share, this bill takes dangerous oversteps that harm everyone's digital rights.
The SCREEN Act mandates age verification for any website hosting content deemed "harmful to minors"—language broad enough to sweep in social media platforms, streaming services, and educational resources, not just adult sites. Critics including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, ACLU, and New America warn this creates massive privacy vulnerabilities by forcing millions of users to surrender identification to view lawful content.
What particularly concerns me is the bill's explicit targeting of VPNs. Millions of Americans use VPNs legitimately—to secure public Wi-Fi, protect sensitive research, communicate as journalists or activists, or simply shield browsing from corporate trackers. By requiring age checks on VPN traffic, the bill effectively treats privacy tools as loopholes to close, punishing users who value anonymity for perfectly lawful reasons.
The constitutional issues run deep. Courts have repeatedly held that age verification laws can violate the First Amendment by burdening access to protected speech. As the ACLU notes, these requirements deprive adults of their right to browse and speak anonymously online. Additionally, centralizing age verification data creates honeypots for hackers—exactly the opposite of what we want for user security.
There are better ways to protect young people without sacrificing adult privacy rights or constitutional freedoms. I ask that you vote against advancing the SCREEN Act in its current form.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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