The R Street Institute voiced opposition to Maryland House Bill 1179, the Consumer Protection – Application Store Accountability Act, during a hearing before the House Economic Matters Committee on March 10. Robert Melvin, Northeast Region Director at the R Street Institute, delivered testimony urging lawmakers to reject the proposed legislation.
The bill would require app stores to verify users’ ages when setting up mobile devices and obtain parental consent for minors downloading or updating applications. Melvin said that while protecting children online is important, the approach outlined in HB 1179 raises significant constitutional and practical concerns.
“Although we appreciate the intent of this legislation—protecting kids and teens from harmful content and interactions online—we are troubled by the approach of mandating that all devices and apps acquire age verification,” Melvin said. He argued that such mandates could be invalidated as unconstitutional impediments to lawful access to protected expression and content.
Melvin explained that compliance with HB 1179 would require all device owners to confirm their age, potentially leading adults to provide government-issued identification. He also raised concerns about data privacy, noting that app stores might retain more sensitive personal information than necessary due to liability fears under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.
Citing recent court decisions, Melvin pointed out that similar laws have been struck down for being overly broad or unconstitutional. He referenced a Texas law enjoined by a district court shortly after taking effect and highlighted existing marketplace solutions such as improved parental control tools and digital literacy education as preferable alternatives.
“A more constructive alternative to government age verification edicts would be for the state to focus on equipping parents with the knowledge of tools already available to help keep their children safe online, and simultaneously teaching young people how to navigate social media and the internet responsibly,” Melvin said. He concluded by urging an unfavorable report on HB 1179.
