Privacy

Digital identity should play a key role in shaping the governance structures in immersive technologies and NIST is well placed to lead this charge.

In response to the Senate voting to invoke cloture on KOSA and COPPA 2.0, ITIF released the following statement from Policy Analyst Alex Ambrose.

A combination of privacy-protective age verification systems utilizing digital forms of identification and AI, parental controls that are readily available and easy to use, and greater transparency from digital platforms would increase children’s safety and privacy, encourage innovation in improved safety and privacy controls, and better inform policymakers and parents on next steps to protect children.

Over the last several years, public opinion on technology and the use of data has shifted from excitement to skepticism to fear.

The evolution of children's media and advertising reflects societal shifts from nostalgic Saturday morning cartoons to today's digitally connected landscape. Debates over targeted advertising to children, echoing past concerns, highlight new challenges in privacy and consumer protection, shaping ongoing legislative discussions around online safety and economic feasibility.

Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a three-pronged proposal that, while well-intentioned, would take too much control away from parents and add to the state-by-state patchwork of legislation that complicates compliance and creates confusion for consumers.

America desperately needs a federal privacy law—but it needs the right federal privacy law. In its current state, APRA is not that law. But with a few important changes, it could be.

Protecting children from online harms requires a careful balance between ensuring safety and safeguarding free speech, user privacy, and parents’ rights. The most effective approach would split responsibility between the government, parents, and online services.

Age-appropriate design codes come from a noble place—the desire to protect children—but have serious flaws and threaten to do more harm than good. Instead of ID-based age verification, Congress should require device makers and platforms hosting age-restricted content to establish a “child flag” system—so everyone is assumed to be an adult unless they are marked as a child.

ITIF President Rob Atkinson appeared on TechFreedom’s Tech Policy Podcast to discuss the new book he co-authored with David Moschella, Technology Fears and Scapegoats.