Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association submitted comments to the South Carolina state legislature on a proposed policy related to children’s online safety. CCIA outlined concerns with HB 4700’s age verification requirements, restricted access to information and communities of support online, and lack of clarity for businesses on how to comply.
CCIA supports enhanced privacy protections for children and teens online but has concerns with certain measures creating additional data collection requirements and associated consumer privacy concerns. CCIA also encourages lawmakers to ensure any proposed protections do not inadvertently prevent users from accessing information and communities of support.
The following can be attributed to CCIA State Policy Director Khara Boender:
“We understand and share the goal of protecting the safety of young people online. However, this legislation is not adequately tailored to that objective. HB 4700 risks cutting off internet access for users under 18 from digital services and violating data minimization principles. As many jurisdictions are moving toward greater online privacy protections, this would place services in a potential Catch-22 of needing to decide which laws to comply with. We respectfully urge South Carolina lawmakers to thoroughly assess the potential ramifications of adopting this proposal and collaborate with stakeholders and industry experts to devise effective measures for safeguarding younger users.”