A U.S. House committee has advanced a package of so-called child “safety” bills that critics say could dramatically expand digital identity surveillance across the country. Measures such as the KIDS Act, the App Store Accountability Act, and Sammy’s Law would require age verification for app downloads, online services, and access to certain digital platforms. Supporters argue that the legislation is designed to protect minors from harmful online content, but opponents warn that enforcing these rules would require millions of Americans to link their online activity to real-world identification.

To verify age at scale, companies would likely need to collect government IDs or other forms of personal documentation during sign-ups and online transactions. That information would then be stored and processed across large databases, creating an enormous new infrastructure for identity verification. Critics warn that these systems could eventually eliminate anonymity online and expose vast amounts of personal data to breaches or misuse. Even some lawmakers who supported the legislation acknowledged that the proposals could lead to a nationwide identity-verification network tied to nearly every digital interaction.

SOURCE: Reclaim the Net