The KIDS Act treats everyone like a kid

Our federal congressional representatives struggle to keep up with email. You’d think putting them in charge of regulating mobile gaming would be widely recognized as a ludicrous idea. But that’s exactly what will happen if H.R. 7757 passes into law.

Nicknamed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, the bill would require the millions of Americans who use apps and play games on their phones to provide ID to do so. The legislation, of course, sells itself as a way to protect the children. In practice, however, it would serve only to eviscerate First Amendment rights and give Big Tech more data for hackers to steal. Congress should clear this bill from its legislative cache and find a way to protect children that doesn’t treat everyone like a kid.

If Congress actually moves forward with these requirements to verify a minor’s age, it will, by default, require every adult to identify