On Thursday, Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed HB 603/SB 571, Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) legislation that creates new liability for online platforms that allow minors to access certain content.

In a letter to the Maryland legislature and governor, a coalition including Chamber of Progress, The Trevor Project, LGBT Tech, The Maryland LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation urged lawmakers to oppose the legislation over concerns that it would prevent teens from accessing important online resources and constitutionally protected speech.

“Maryland’s teen digital censorship legislation threatens to restrict minors’ access to critical online resources and communities just as they’re developing their own identity,” said Senior Counsel Jess Miers. “In addition to harming young people, that kind of censorship runs afoul of the First Amendment, which protects teen access to digital content even for teens.”

Similar laws in California, Ohio, and Arkansas have all faced court challenges for violating the First Amendment.

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Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a center-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology’s progressive future.  We work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological leaps, and that the tech industry operates responsibly and fairly.  

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