On Wednesday, Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Amy Klobuchar, and Marsha Blackburn introduced legislation (S. 2710) mandating that phone and tablet makers allow the installation of risky third party app stores and the use of alternative payment systems.

Chamber of Progress, a center-left tech industry organization, said that these mandates would erode the security, trust, and convenience that consumers value in app stores and mobile devices. The organization also noted that the bill takes the side of companies like Epic Games, Spotify, and Tile in their legal and lobbying battles against Apple and Google — which shouldn’t be a top priority for policymakers.

“This bill is a finger in the eye of anyone who bought an iPhone or Android because the phones and their app stores are safe, reliable, and easy to use,” said Chamber of Progress CEO Adam Kovacevich. “I don’t see any consumers marching in Washington demanding that Congress make their smartphones dumber. And Congress has better things to do than intervene in a multi-million dollar dispute between businesses.”

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Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a new 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.

Our corporate partners do not have a vote on or veto over our positions. We do not speak for individual partner companies and remain true to our stated principles even when our partners disagree.