Stop online ID checks in Massachusetts!

Massachusetts lawmakers are barreling toward passing one of the most invasive and unworkable pieces of online ID check legislation in the country, H.5366. By mandating everyone in the state upload a government ID or face scan to post online, this bill would force all of us to expose our sensitive information to untrustworthy Big Tech companies and third party “ID check” vendors. This bill won’t keep kids safe. It lets Big Tech off the hook while putting all of us at risk. There’s still time to stop this. CALL NOW to stop online ID checks in Massachusetts.

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Introduce yourself, be polite, and say:

“Hi, I’m calling to urge my lawmakers to oppose harmful provisions of H. 5366 that would mandate age verification, ban young people from social media, and kill online anonymity. This legislation would make vulnerable kids less safe, while forcing everyone to upload their government ID or submit to a facial recognition scan in order to post online. Now is not the time to expose our personal information to Trump admin surveillance and shut down our ability to safely advocate and organize online. Instead, please support comprehensive privacy legislation like the Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act, that actually protects kids and addresses Big Tech’s harmful business practices. Thank you.”

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Big Tech companies are harmful. But this bill lets them off the hook while making everyone, including kids, less safe.

This legislation would:

  • Force everyone (not just kids) to upload a government ID or submit to a facial recognition scan to create a social media account
  • Force parents to send even more sensitive information to Big Tech companies to “verify” custody in order for a minor to create an account
  • Lock queer and trans youth with unsupportive parents off the Internet, restricting access to life-saving community and information
  • Expand the Trump admin’s surveillance capabilities, making it easier for them to persecute people organizing protests, monitoring ICE, and criticizing the administration
  • Cost Massachusetts tax payers enormously, as the legislation is clearly unconstitutional and would face legal challenges.
  • Specifically harm undocumented folks who use social media to warn communities about ICE activity and raise money for family members

Dozens of civil liberties, racial justice, LGBTQ+, press freedom, abortion access, and human rights organizations have spoken out against these dangerous and misguided “age verification” laws, several of which have already been struck down as unconstitutional in other states. 

Plus, a Massachusetts-based coalition of LGBTQ groups including III Labs, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition, ACLU of MA, The Queer Neighborhood Council, and the Transgender Emergency Fund have specifically been pressuring local lawmakers on this issue. Late last year, the Boston City Council introduced a resolution condemning “age verification” and censorship legislation, citing harm to the city’s LGBTQ youth. MA lawmakers that ignore these calls to action are endorsing surveillance, censorship, and bigotry at a time when Mass residents need our rights protected more than ever.

Here’s how we actually protect kids:

Instead of banning kids and mandating creepy ID checks for everyone, MA lawmakers could pass comprehensive data privacy legislation, like the Massachusetts Consumer Data Privacy Act (MCDPA). This bill has already passed the MA Senate and actually confronts the shady business practices of data brokers and Big Tech, protecting us all from having our personal information and location data sold to bad actors and fascist federal agencies.

Antitrust measures and algorithmic justice legislation would further tackle Big Tech’s greedy surveillance capitalist business model, making the Internet safer for kids (and everyone else) without curtailing our rights to free expression.

Read more about why this is a terrible idea: