Americans today live, learn, and communicate online. Still, many of us are increasingly concerned about matters such as children’s screen time and online safety, addictive algorithms, and invasive data collection. These are real concerns, and they deserve serious, solutions-oriented policymaking. 

In Congress, Republicans have introduced a flurry of bills to protect consumers, especially children and teenagers, online. For example, the Kids’ Online Safety Act (KOSA) would protect minors from online dangers, including harmful content and predatory behavior, and hold Big Tech companies accountable for designing and operating their platforms. While parents overwhelmingly support these kinds of regulations on content providers, two bills introduced shortly after KOSA, congresswoman Kat Cammack’s App Store Freedom Act and congressman John James’ App Store Accountability Act, pull in opposite directions and would ironically make online spaces more dangerous.