House lawmakers met on Thursday to debate legislation aimed at protecting children from inappropriate online content.
By Catholics for Catholics
A new poll shows that most Americans support a federal law that would require age verification to have access to pornographic content online.
According to a story by The Daily Wire, a poll overseen by Cygnal last month shows that 83% of likely voters support an age verification law for mobile app downloads, and 81% of likely voters support age verification for pornographic sites.
On Thursday, House lawmakers met to discuss legislation geared toward protecting children from unsuitable online content by compelling Big Tech companies to make sure that children cannot gain access to adult apps, websites, or social media platforms without their parents’ consent.
Surveying 1,048 likely 2026 election voters, the poll showed broad approval for the law that also cut across party lines. Almost 40% of those who answered the poll defined themselves as Republicans, while 35% of the respondents said they are Democrats, and 24% identified themselves as independents.
The poll is a sign that parents are banding together and taking the fight against big tech firms that are unwilling to create age verification policies for their platforms, said Terry Schilling, the president of the conservative advocacy group American Principles Project.
“Parents are fighting to protect their children, and their enemy isn’t just Big Porn but the Silicon Valley titans that profit from it. They have one advantage in an uphill fight: the American voter,” said Schilling. “A supermajority of Americans — from conservatives to independents and even many liberals — are united in their call to rein in Big Tech. For too long, parents have been alone in the fight against exploitive algorithms and apps. It’s time for Congress to step up and pass commonsense legislation that puts families first.”
The House Energy and Commerce Committee debated the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act and the APP Store Accountability Act on Thursday. The Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act would oblige platforms to help prevent children from having access to detrimental content, while the APP Store Accountability Act would compel app stores to set up parental consent requirements before a child downloads an app.
“My App Store Accountability Act is simple: kids cannot consent and power belongs to parents, not Big Tech,” Republican Rep. John James of Michigan said earlier this week. “Just as how corner stores are held responsible for keeping adult & addictive materials from minors, my bill holds digital app stores to the same standard.”
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