Alabama bill requiring age verification for app downloads sparks debate
Rep. Chris Sells, R-Greenville, sits in a House Child and Senior Advocacy Committee meeting on Feb. 26, 2025. The committee heard support and opposition on his bill, HB 317, that would require app store age verification. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)
An Alabama bill requiring app stores to verify users' ages drew debate during a committee hearing last week.
HB 317, sponsored by Chris Sells, R-Greenville, would prohibit a minor from downloading a new app or updating an existing app without parental consent. In order for app stores to know whether someone is a minor, the platforms would have to implement age verification under the legislation.
Supporters of the bill said Wednesday that parents support this regulation. Those who oppose the legislation said it would create a false sense of security, and the law would likely be challenged in court for violating users' privacy.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
'Other age verification methods of the social media sites have all been solved in court,' Justin Hill from NetChoice told the House Child and Senior Advocacy Committee. 'One like this hasn't made it out of the legislature yet, so maybe Alabama can be the first to defend that in court.'
NetChoice advocates for limited internet government control, free speech and enterprise across the country. The group has fought many internet laws nationwide. Hill mentioned laws in Florida and Virginia that created online literacy courses for minors. He said an education-based law, rather than a mandate, would be constitutional.
'And we really need to remember that an unconstitutional law helps no children,' he said.
Nicole Lopez, safety policy director for youth at Meta, said the bill provides parental control. She said a small study conducted on behalf of Meta showed that 80% of parents want app store age verification.
'Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child's age before they can download apps,' Lopez said. 'HB 317 is the mechanism to achieve just that, with an immediate impact on Alabama families supporting their teens online.'
NetChoice opposed a similar bill that would require age verification for social media accounts on Feb. 19. Meta implemented Instagram Teen Accounts in September that have built-in protections, limiting who can contact them and the content they see, while also providing new ways to safely explore their interests.
Melea Stephens, a family therapist, said she supported the bill because of how she has seen the internet affect her clients.
'As a family therapist, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of unregulated apps and what they can have on our youth,' she said. 'I've treated several cases of child sextortion and sexual abuse that have arisen through platforms marketed to children where predators exploit the very apps designed to foster connection and entertainment.'
Knox Argo, an attorney based in Montgomery, said he opposed the bill because it is being pushed by Meta.
'We certainly don't want to be the first in the nation to stick our neck out on some new bill that is pushed by a multimillion-dollar corporation,' he said.
Meta is worth $1.7 trillion.
The committee did not vote on the bill. Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, the chair of the committee, said she'd put it on the agenda in a couple weeks.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
39 minutes ago
- The Hill
DOGE cuts face battle in House
The Big Story Some Republicans are voicing doubts about portions of the White House's request to claw back $9.4 billion in funds for foreign aid and public broadcasting programs, as the party looks to lock in cuts pursued by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). © The Associated Press One House Republican estimated around 10 lawmakers have voiced concerns about the bill, but 'there's more concerns than people who have whipped 'no.'' 'And I think it's a broader concern about the rescissions process itself,' the lawmaker added. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) — under heavy pressure from hardline conservatives eager to codify the DOGE cuts — is aiming to approve the bill in the coming days, setting the stage for another complicated week for GOP leaders. One of the largest concerns Republicans have with the package is the $1.1 billion in rescissions to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which helps fund NPR and PBS. Republicans have panned the outlets as biased, and President Trump signed an executive order in May to cease federal funding for both companies. But a handful of Republicans are worried about the impact the slashes will have in their districts. Other Republicans are investigating the cuts to USAID, which was one of DOGE's first targets. The Hill's Mychael Schnell has more here. Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter, I'm Aris Folley — covering the intersection of Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads Key business and economic news with implications this week and beyond: Hawley bill would raise minimum wage to $15 Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wants to double the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour, with legislation filed Tuesday to increase the rate last bumped up nearly two decades ago. World Bank slashes growth outlook on trade concerns The World Bank on Tuesday reduced its outlook for both global and U.S. economic growth this year, citing disruptions to global trade stemming from President Trump's trade war. Three dozen House Republicans urge Senate GOP against 'budget gimmicks,' deficit increases More than three dozen House Republicans are warning Senate GOP leaders against approving additional deficit increases or using 'budget gimmicks' to count additional savings in the 'one big beautiful bill' of President Trump's tax cut and spending priorities. Tax Watch Senate GOP divided over trimming cost of Trump bill Facing a jittery bond market and scathing criticism from Elon Musk, GOP lawmakers have expanded their search for ways to reduce the deficit by cutting Medicare, the Defense Department and the Federal Reserve — areas of the budget that were considered off-limits just a few weeks ago. But each new proposal is creating new divisions. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is warning colleagues to steer clear of cutting Medicare spending, even though proponents of the idea insist it would be targeted only on 'waste, fraud and abuse.' Other Republicans want to look at Medicare Advantage plans provided by private insurance companies as an alternative to traditional Medicare. They say 'fly-by-night' health care providers are abusing the program and bilking the federal government. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) also said lawmakers are discussing a proposal sponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) that could save up to $275 billion by cracking down on insurance companies that overcharge Medicare Advantage. The Hill's Alex Bolton has more here. DEADLINE SLIPPING?: Former Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore, who served in Trump's first term, told The Hill's Emily Brooks that GOP leaders' goal of advancing the One Big, Beautiful Bill by July 4 is likely too ambitious. 'I'd love to see that, but I think there's too many differences right now to get it done by Fourth of July,' Moore said. Read more here and sign up for Brooks's new newsletter The Movement here. The Ticker Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: In Other News Branch out with more stories from the day: US stocks drift closer to their record as Wall Street waits to see what US-China talks will bear NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted closer to their all-time high on Tuesday as the wait continued … Good to Know Business and economic news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Top stories on The Hill right now: Judge declines to block Trump's Corporation for Public Broadcasting firings but allows board members to stay Correction: A previous version of this article gave incorrect names of the fired CPB board members. They are Laura Ross, Diane Kaplan and Thomas Rothman. Read more Stephen Miller wages war on the GOP's libertarians The Movement is a weekly newsletter tracking the influence and debates steering politics on the right. Sign up here or in the box below. Read more What People Think Opinions related to business and economic issues submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Is Elon Musk right to oppose the budget bill? What Americans said in a new poll
During his public falling out with President Donald Trump, Elon Musk slammed the president's proposed spending bill — dubbed the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' — claiming it will balloon the deficit. It turns out, most Americans agree with his critique, new polling reveals. In the latest Economist/YouGov poll, half of respondents were asked to react to a statement from Musk on the GOP-backed spending bill, which passed in the House without a single Democratic vote. The legislation, Musk wrote on X on June 3, 'will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion and burden (American) citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.' A majority of respondents, 56%, said they agreed with this statement, while just 17% said they disagreed. More than one-quarter, 27%, said they were unsure. The answers were largely linked to partisan affiliation, with Democrats largely siding with Musk for a change. Seventy-two percent of Democrats said they concurred with the billionaire's statement about the spending bill, as did 55% of independents. Among Republicans, a plurality, 44%, said they agreed. The poll — which sampled 1,533 U.S. adults June 6-9 — posed the same statement before the other half of respondents, but this time, it did not attribute it to Musk. Without reference to Musk, a slightly smaller share, 49%, said they agreed with the statement, while 23% said they disagreed. Smaller shares of Republicans, independents and Democrats agreed, though Democrats saw the largest decrease in support — from 72% to 60%. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. More on the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' The spending bill, which provides funding for fiscal year 2025, passed in the House in a 215-214 vote in late May and is now under consideration in the Senate. It contains many pieces of Trump's agenda, including a road map to extend the 2017 tax cuts, as well as an increase in funding for the Pentagon and border security, according to previous reporting from McClatchy News. At the same time, it slashes funding for social programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Further — to Musk's point — it would increase the federal deficit by $3.8 trillion over the next 10 years, according to an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan agency. In addition to Musk, the bill has received criticism from several other prominent conservatives in Congress. One of the most vocal opponents has been Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who wrote on X that 'the spending proposed in this bill is unsustainable, we cannot continue spending at these levels if we want to truly tackle our debt.' Other Republican lawmakers have come out in defense of the bill, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has said the legislation will deliver 'historic tax relief, ensure our border stays secure, strengthen our military, and produce historic savings.' Meanwhile, Democrats have been united in their opposition. In a statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries labeled the bill 'the GOP Tax Scam' and said it would rip 'healthcare and food assistance away from millions of people in order to provide tax cuts to the wealthy, the well-off and the well-connected.'
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Three dozen House Republicans urge Senate GOP against ‘budget gimmicks,' deficit increases
More than three dozen House Republicans are warning Senate GOP leaders against approving additional deficit increases or using 'budget gimmicks' to count additional savings in the 'one big beautiful bill' of President Trump's tax cut and spending priorities. 'As the Senate considers changes, we remain unequivocal in our position that any additional tax cuts must be matched dollar-for-dollar by real, enforceable spending reductions,' the 37 members, led by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.), said in a Tuesday letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), adding that the principle is the 'cornerstone' of the budget resolution framework passed by the House and is the 'minimum standard for our support.' The letter further asserted that the members would consider 'genuine savings only' as established by that House resolution. 'Offsets must come from permanent reforms that make the budget more sustainable, not timing shifts or other budget gimmicks,' the letter said. Among the signatories are House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), House Republican Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore (R-Utah), and many members of the House Freedom Caucus, including its chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.). The Senate is currently considering and expected to make changes to the House-passed megabill that includes extension of tax cuts that Trump signed into law in 2017; boosts to border, deportation, and defense funding; and new restrictions on Medicaid and food assistance programs that are project to result in millions of individuals losing their health insurance. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the proposed tax cuts in the plan would decrease revenues by more than $3.6 trillion over a decade, while measures to cut federal spending — including reforms to Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program —would reduce outlays by $1.2 trillion over the same period, resulting in a net deficit increase of $2.4 trillion. Several matters under consideration in the Senate would add to the deficit impact of the bill. Some GOP senators are unhappy with provisions to terminate clean energy tax breaks, while others are objecting to the around $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid through provisions like increased work requirements and $267 billion in cuts to food assistance through provisions like making states share the cost of the program for the first time. 'A reconciliation bill that relaxes fiscal discipline reflected in the House-passed bill would invite higher borrowing costs and undermine the economic growth that Americans need to maximize opportunity,' the 37 House GOP members said in the letter. 'We urge Senate leadership to keep the reconciliation measure compatible with the House framework while seizing every opportunity to deepen savings.'
