It Doesn't Stop the Harm
The threat isn't the app store. It's what happens after the app is downloaded. The algorithm decides what your kid sees next, and this bill doesn't touch the algorithm. Not even a little.
You already have what it takes to protect your kids. You don't need a new law to prove it...
The Issue
Sites like Grindr, Meta, and Pornhub all back the App Store Accountability Act (and bills just like it). That should tell you everything you need to know.
The App Store Accountability Act
Protecting Everyone. Except Kids.
It sounds like it protects kids. It doesn't. Here's why.
Kids Can Get Around It in Ten Seconds
Open a browser. Go to Instagram.com. Done. App store or not, the content is right there. Any kid with a phone and a wifi connection can bypass this law the same afternoon it passes.
Grindr, Meta & Pornhub Are Cheering for It
That should stop you cold. The companies most responsible for harming kids online are the ones funding this bill. They love it because it shifts the blame to Apple and Google and lets the social media companies keep doing exactly what they're doing.
You Lose Your Privacy to "Protect the kids"
You can't sort the minors out of the crowd without checking everyone. Adults included, for every app. Apple said so itself when Texas passed its version: complying means collecting sensitive personal information from anyone who wants to download an app, even a weather app.
Where To Go From Here