Morgan Stevens

Policy Associate @actonline | Formerly @datainnovation / @itifdc | Washington, DC | Texas Ex

[Kedharnath Sankararaman @KedharDC]

Next Thursday.

AICOA is back. Join @actonline on the Hill to unpack it w/
@JosephVConiglio from @ITIFdc
@melugin_p from @ceidotorg
K.J. Bagchi from @ProgressChamber &
Chris Grimm from @DevsAlliance

July 2, 12:15pm. Rayburn 2237.

https://t.co/qftXanhvYr

[Ben Sperry @RBenSperry]

It's legitimately difficult to stay on top of everything being proposed on how to "protect kids online." So I'll keep my response simple: "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech."

[Yaël Ossowski⚜️ @YaelOss]

I’m sorry is this the same Texas government that passed a law mandating digital ID checks for mobile app stores?

Wow, funny how that works

[Association For Competitive Technology (ACT) @actonline]

The court laid an egg with its ruling on Texas's App Store Accountability Act.

By mislabeling app downloads as mere commercial transactions, the court's decision threatens our First Amendment and burdens small devs with massive compliance costs.

@GDufault breaks down all the fallacies in the court's arguments: https://t.co/pcV0DoStKR

[Graham Dufault @GDufault]

5th Cir panel’s reasoning on TX ASAA is wild.

They argue that bc apps are avail for download, any speech in an app is merely “commercial” for #1A purposes.

Then they say having ToS makes all apps “commercial” speech.

ASAA hanging on by thin thread.

https://t.co/MIQOT27YFf

[Morgan Stevens @morganstevens]

After years of debate & 20+ state privacy laws, is federal privacy finally within reach?

Join us on 6/16 to discuss the SECURE Data Act, the growing privacy patchwork, & the path to a national standard, ft. experts from @actonline, @SIIA, & @HouseCommerce https://t.co/TdEUboxwSz

[Morgan Stevens @morganstevens]

After years of debate & 20+ state privacy laws, is federal privacy finally within reach?

Join us on 6/16 to discuss the SECURE Data Act, the growing privacy patchwork, & the path to a national standard, ft. experts from @actonline, @SIIA, & @HouseCommerce https://t.co/TdEUboxwSz

[Jennifer Huddleston @jrhuddles]

A reminder that large companies may try to seek regulation that supports their particular business model or they can comply with

And it’s not just one company after all remember as far back as 2023 Open AI was asking for regulation

Beyond AI see also Meta endorsing the ASAA

[Satya Marar @SatyaMarar]

The App Store Accountability Act aims to protect kids online, but its costs "would fall on parents, children, app stores, and developers alike" without "meaningfully strengthen[ing] parental control or materially improv[ing] protections for children." https://t.co/PT6Eivopru

[Graham Dufault @GDufault]

@actonline members sent a ltr to Congressional leadership urging them to reject App Store Accountability Act (ASAA) and support the Parents Over Platforms Act (POPA) instead.

Our members prefer a risk-based framework over blanket ID requirements.

https://t.co/8P1FIrgFnl

[Association For Competitive Technology (ACT) @actonline]

America's increasingly complex and ever changing patchwork of state-level privacy policies needs to be addressed.

The SECURE Data Act addresses these challenges by creating a uniform national standard and a voluntary compliance framework to help startups protect data and compete.

Read more: https://t.co/8NbZhcNlIf

[Morgan Stevens @morganstevens]

Read the full breakdown on why the SECURE Data Act would be a win for small businesses in my latest blog with @actonline: https://t.co/MaDuvJpRlS

[Morgan Stevens @morganstevens]

Tomorrow's hearing on the SECURE Data Act represents an important step toward (finally) getting a comprehensive privacy law on the books.

[Morgan Stevens @morganstevens]

Importantly, its voluntary code of conduct provision would also give small businesses a practical, cost-effective way to prove strong privacy practices, protect their customers, and compete in today’s data-driven economy.

[Paul Taske @Paul_Taske]

This is not what the Supreme Court said.

[Nico Perrino @NicoPerrino]

Two problems with age verification:

1) Studies show it can lead to dramatic “bounce” rates. Users often don’t want to go through the process, especially when the content they’re trying to access is sensitive or the process is onerous.

2) Right now, we don’t need to show credentials to access much of the digital world. That’s true in much of the physical world, too. But if some proposed age-verification protocols go into effect, the default may become showing your papers to use the internet.

Professor Eric Goldman’s conclusion below is worth considering, and his full write-up is worth your time.

[Senator Jerry Moran @JerryMoran]

“Parents Over Platforms Act offers a legally durable, common sense solution that respects the diverse realities of American families that puts parents - not platforms or government mandates - first.”
- Read more from Susan Peters in the Wichita Eagle⬇️https://t.co/o8CkJnO3Es

[Senator Jacky Rosen @SenJackyRosen]

Our cellphones play a huge role in our lives by keeping us connected to others, but also pose a real risk to children and teens. We all have a responsibility to keep our children safe from harmful content and bad actors.

I’m joining @JerryMoran to introduce a bipartisan bill to help provide parents with the tools to keep their children safe by establishing rules for app stores and developers.

[Association For Competitive Technology (ACT) @actonline]

A nice highlight from @GDufault in today’s #Privacy announcement from Congress.

Looking over the proposals in the SECURE Data Act, we appreciate the inclusion of our 4 Ps of Privacy:

1. Preemption
2. Protection Against Unauthorized Access
3. Path to Compliance
4. No Private Right of Action

A thoughtful comprehensive federal privacy law can protect consumers while also enabling continued innovation, especially in artificial intelligence.

ACT and our members look forward to continuing our work with lawmakers to strike the right balance and finally get privacy across the finish line.

https://t.co/qUNWJhVbZg