Age Verification Mandates: High Costs, Uncertain Benefits

I'm writing to urge you to oppose any statewide online age verification mandates currently under consideration. While protecting children online is a worthy goal, these mandates create serious problems that outweigh their benefits. First, age verification systems collect sensitive personal data—government IDs, financial information, biometrics—and store it in databases that become prime targets for hackers. We've seen countless breaches already; creating centralized repositories of this information puts millions of Americans at unnecessary risk. Second, the technology simply doesn't work reliably. Studies show young people easily circumvent these systems using VPNs or borrowed credentials, while adults occasionally get locked out entirely. Some systems also display higher error rates for certain demographic groups, raising civil rights concerns. Third, these requirements hit small businesses hardest. Compliance costs force startups to divert resources from innovation, and some may not enter the market at all. This consolidates power among tech giants who can afford expensive verification systems while crushing competition. Most troubling to me is how these measures restrict constitutional rights. They chill anonymous speech—a cornerstone of American discourse on everything from politics to harassment. They limit access to lawful information, including news, educational materials, and health resources that adults should freely access. They also undermine parents' ability to guide their own children's online experiences by shifting control to the government. These laws also raise serious First Amendment questions. Unlike alcohol or tobacco, internet content involves protected speech. Treating digital information like physical substances ignores fundamental differences in how we consume media and exercise free expression. Instead of blunt verification mandates, our state should pursue solutions that genuinely protect kids without sacrificing privacy, security, and liberty. Parental control tools, media literacy programs, and targeted enforcement against actual harm offer better paths forward. I trust you'll carefully weigh these substantial costs before supporting such legislation. Please let me know your position on pending age verification bills.