SIIA Raises Privacy and Free Speech Concerns About Kentucky HB 227 Age Verification Mandates

SIIA submitted a letter to Kentucky Representative Matt Lockett expressing concerns about HB 227, legislation proposing age-assurance mandates for online platforms. While supporting the goal of protecting minors from harmful online content, SIIA argues the bill's current framework could create significant risks to user privacy, data security, and constitutional rights. The letter warns that requiring platforms to verify ages with escalating confidence levels could effectively force universal age verification, leading to the collection of sensitive personal information such as government IDs or biometric data. SIIA also cautions that strict parental consent requirements could amount to a de facto ban on users under 16 and could undermine online anonymity and First Amendment protections. The organization urges lawmakers to pursue narrower, privacy-protective solutions and recommends maintaining an "actual knowledge" standard to avoid unintended consequences for beneficial technologies.

Read the Full Letter