Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association today submitted multiple letters of opposition to several problematic California legislative proposals currently under committee consideration that would impose burdensome restrictions on digital services and conflict with federal law.
- CCIA signed onto a CalChamber joint letter in opposition to AB 331, which outlined the significant concerns with the bill’s private right of action, administrative penalties, and limited right to cure. Additionally, the bill opens the door to vast confusion, while conflicting with other laws and regulations.
- CCIA submitted a letter in opposition to SB 287 regarding content moderation on social media platforms, specifically for children. Digital services already invest significant time and resources to protect younger users from potentially harmful or addictive content. CCIA believes California should not impede on continuing efforts by private businesses to effectively moderate content on their services, including through the use of algorithms.
- CCIA signed onto a CalChamber joint letter in opposition to AB 1546, which would significantly extend the statute of limitations that applies to civil enforcement actions brought by the state attorney general against businesses that violate the California Consumer Privacy Act. The letter outlined several concerns including that the bill may incentivize the attorney general to wait until violations have accrued significantly before bringing a claim. This would impose additional burdens on businesses while also failing to provide any additional benefit to consumers.
- CCIA signed onto a TechNet joint letter in opposition to AB 1027. This legislation would require social media platforms to maintain a record of communication between users and the platform for at least seven days from when the communication was made. These content retention requirements raise serious privacy concerns, and as the bill is currently written, invites a flood of litigation that will likely result in companies severely limiting or completely eliminating online spaces for teens.
The following comment may be attributed to CCIA State Policy Director Khara Boender:
“CCIA understands and appreciates lawmakers’ interest in regulating the social media platforms and digital services that contribute to our economy. However, these proposals must strike a balance between establishing meaningful consumer protections without infringing upon constitutionally-established rights and avoiding conflicts with federal law. Without such balance, proposals may negatively impact consumers’ access to beneficial services. Introducing additional regulatory uncertainty could also prevent digital services from creating and maintaining the online communities and services that help serve large and small businesses alike, and support the overall economy.”