Morgan Reed Executive Director of The App Association (ACT) | The App Association (ACT)
Ahead of a House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing titled "The World Wild Web: Examining Harms Online," ACT | The App Association has issued a statement addressing online safety concerns. Morgan Reed, President of ACT | The App Association, emphasized the shared goal of protecting children online and expressed gratitude to the committee for its leadership in addressing these challenges.
Reed stated, “To be effective, solutions must be targeted, practical, and rooted in reality. Certain policy proposals, including those that put the onus for children’s safety entirely on app stores, would not be effective in protecting the most vulnerable internet users.” He argued that such policies could inadvertently protect social media services with past malfeasance while shifting compliance costs to smaller app companies. Reed also noted that these proposals are based on an incorrect assumption that parental controls do not already exist.
He further suggested that Congress should focus on updating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) to better align with current digital product usage and ensure small developers aren't forced out of reach for younger users.
Reed clarified the distinction between app stores and social media platforms, highlighting ongoing improvements by developers in parental control tools due to consumer expectations rather than government mandates. He warned against broad regulations that might hinder innovation among small businesses striving to maintain the U.S.'s leadership in technology.
ACT | The App Association represents small and medium-sized technology companies globally. Its members include entrepreneurs and independent developers across various industries who aim to foster an innovative policy environment.
For more information about ACT | The App Association, visit their website at www.actonline.org.