Op-Ed: One-sided and misleading view of the App Store Accountability Act
Dear Editor,
My name is Josiah Hafner, and I’m 16 years old. I’m writing in response to the recent op-ed titled *“Protecting kids online is easier than it seems”* by Lee Currie. While I appreciate the concern for child safety, the article presents a one-sided and misleading view of the App Store Accountability Act (S.1586/H.R.3149)—a bill that directly affects teens like me.
This legislation threatens teen autonomy and digital access by raising the app store age minimum from 13 to 18. It mandates parental-linked accounts, violates privacy, and contradicts protections laid out in COPPA. If my parents don’t approve an app I’ve used responsibly for years, I could lose access entirely—stripping me of lawful content, education tools, and creative spaces. That’s not just inconvenient. It’s a real threat to the rights I already have.
The op-ed uses a tragic suicide case to justify sweeping legislation, without acknowledging broader mental health factors or the complexity of digital interactions. It claims “overwhelming support” but only cites parental opinion—ignoring teens, educators, developers, and legal experts. It oversimplifies technical feasibility, dismisses constitutional concerns, and fails to mention conflicts with existing law like COPPA. Most importantly, it excludes youth voices entirely.
Here’s what’s wrong with the bill:
- It lacks a compelling government interest.
- It isn’t narrowly tailored.
- It fails to use the least restrictive means.
- It burdens developers, risks litigation, and undermines youth independence.
Instead of protecting kids, this law removes agency from young people and places outsized control in the hands of gatekeepers—regardless of individual maturity or responsibility. The involvement of organizations like the National Association of Christian Lawmakers also raises concern, as they push legislative models that ignore nuanced realities of teens' lives online.
We’re asking for time. A delay until **March 13, 2027** allows real dialogue, better analysis, and meaningful reform that supports rather than suppresses youth. Over 15 people have already signed our petition, and we’re growing every day.
Please consider signing and sharing our petitions:
- [Change.org](https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-app-store-accountability-act-delay-it-until-march-13-2027)
- [iPetitions](https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dont-silence-teensdelay-asaa-until-march-13)
- [MoveOn](https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/don-t-silence-teens-delay-asaa-until-march-13-2027)
- [OpenPetition](https://www.openpetition.org/us/petition/online/delay-the-app-store-accountability-act-until-march-13-2027)
- [Petition2Congress](https://www.petition2congress.com/ctas/delay-app-store-accountability-act-until-march-13)
This isn’t just about phones and apps—it’s about being trusted to make decisions, having privacy, and being treated with basic fairness. Teens like us deserve respect, not restrictions that assume we’re incapable. We’re not asking to be ignored—we’re asking to be heard.
Thank you for your time and attention to this urgent issue.
Sincerely,
Josiah Hafner
[Grand Forks, ND]
