The head of a taxpayer advocacy group said a Louisiana bill requiring app stores to implement age-verification measures for users would raise constitutional and privacy concerns while imposing new burdens on lawful online activity.
“HB 977 would require app store platforms to implement age-verification measures for users,” said Ross Marchand, executive director of Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA). “If signed into law, the legislation would raise serious constitutional concerns under the First Amendment by restricting access to lawful digital content and placing new burdens on protected online expression.”
“The proposal also creates significant privacy risks by compelling the collection and retention of sensitive personal and family data through age-verification systems,” Marchand said. “At the same time, there is little evidence that these requirements would meaningfully improve child safety online. The bill imposes substantial costs to privacy and free expression without delivering effective protections for young users.”
House Bill 977 would require app store platforms to verify the ages of users and obtain parental consent for minors before allowing app downloads or purchases. Supporters of the legislation have said the proposal is intended to strengthen online protections for children and provide parents with more oversight of minors’ digital activity.
The legislation passed the Louisiana House of Representatives by a 94-0 vote on April 22. The bill later cleared the Louisiana Senate Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs Committee on April 28 and subsequently passed through the Legislative Bureau without amendments. The measure is now awaiting consideration on the Senate floor.
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance is a nonprofit organization focused on government accountability, technology policy, consumer protection issues, and taxpayer advocacy at the federal and state levels.
