EFF urges Congress reject KIDS Act

While protecting children online is a critical goal, the KIDS Act represents a dangerous step toward a heavily gated, surveillance-driven internet that degrades privacy for users of all ages.

* De facto age verification: Despite carve-outs, the legal liabilities created by the bill leave platforms with little choice but to implement invasive age checks.

* Security risks: Forcing websites to collect and store highly sensitive personal identification documents like passports and driver's licenses creates massive honey pots for hackers.

* Censorship and encryption threats: The legislation pressures services to restrict lawful speech under broad content moderation mandates and threatens private, encrypted communications.