Protect Privacy: Oppose Online Age Verification Bills

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to reject any federal legislation requiring apps or operating systems to implement age verification or identity checks. Numerous civil liberties organizations have raised serious concerns about such mandates. These requirements would force millions of Americans to submit government IDs or biometric data simply to access online services, creating unprecedented surveillance infrastructure that threatens privacy rights for all users. The evidence against age verification is compelling: - Privacy and Security Risks: Centralized databases of identity information become targets for breaches. An Australian age verification database serving bars and nightclubs was recently compromised, exposing sensitive information of over one million people. Creating similar databases for internet access would multiply these risks exponentially. - Constitutional Concerns: Federal courts have already blocked age verification laws in Arkansas, Texas, and California for being unconstitutional. These laws infringe on First Amendment rights by effectively censoring lawful speech and creating barriers to accessing information. - Ineffectiveness: Age verification mandates won't meaningfully protect young people online. They create a false sense of security while failing to address actual harms. Meanwhile, they exclude vulnerable populations—those without government IDs, undocumented individuals, and privacy-conscious users—from participating in digital life. Instead of mandating invasive identity checks, Congress should focus on evidence-based approaches to youth online safety that don't compromise fundamental rights for all Americans, like already existing parental controls. I respectfully request that you vote against any legislation requiring online age verification and support alternative solutions that protect children without sacrificing privacy, security, and free expression. Thank you for your consideration.