TLDR on KOSA & COPPA: Improvements Made, Questions Remain
Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee voted out the Kids’ Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bill loosely based on proposals from overseas and at the state level that would require online services to adhere to design principles to address risks to any kids who might happen upon their sites or apps. Takeaway: The Committee made several changes to the bill that help and will relieve the threat of catastrophic compliance burdens, so as the language currently stands, KOSA likely wouldn’t [...]
Legislative Lifelines: How Congress Can Fix the R&D Financial Flux
Research and development (R&D) play a critical role in expanding our innovative ecosystem and supporting the small and medium-sized businesses we call members. Not only is R&D an opportunity for new and exciting investment opportunities and innovation, but it is essential to creating high-paying jobs across the app ecosystem. For example, every $1 billion in R&D spending supports about 17,000 jobs domestically, enabling American companies to compete with foreign rivals. To ensure a flourishing future for America’s diverse business landscape, policymakers [...]
Understanding the UK’s Online Safety Bill
In an attempt to crack down on illegal content and minimise the likelihood that users will encounter harmful or age-inappropriate online posts, the UK Parliament drafted a piece of legislation called the Online Safety Bill (OSB). Unfortunately, what once started as a bill to protect people from violent or dangerous content on the internet has now turned into a 'catchallfor UK internet regulation’ that has the potential to be altered if there is a change in government. Encryption elimiNATION The [...]
Ecodesigning a Better Future: Part Two
Earlier this summer, the European Parliament (EP) voted to roll back some concerning amendments that had been included in the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (AKA the New EcodesignRegulation). On 12 July, the European Parliament voted on its final position of the regulation, and while the removal of the amendments is permanent, some last-minute compromise amendments were added to the final positions that have been included in the final text. Compromise amendments and developer impact Amendment Impact Article 5a (new) [...]
The Costs of Making Way for DMA-Event Recap
On July 18, we hosted an event, “The Costs of Making Way for DMA,” where experts highlighted the implications for American national security, privacy, and economic growth if countries around the world follow Europe’s lead in regulating American online marketplaces. Non-discrimination rules in trade agreements are a cornerstone of continued free trade and innovation. Laws like the European Union’s (EU’s) Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) are examples of sweeping regulatory frameworks that could undermine the non-discrimination [...]