I am writing to express grave concerns about HD.3070/SD.654, a proposed law to regulate technology use by young people. I am as hostile to social-media megacorporations as anyone; indeed, I was telling people not to use Facebook fifteen years ago. As an old hand from bygone days, let me tell you: This bill is attacking the problem in the wrong way and will result in severe collateral damage while making Meta and X stronger. I co-moderate a small online forum for people to discuss the hype, excesses and anti-democratic practices of the tech industry. This bill could crush my forum out of existence or force it to block participants from Massachusetts, while Meta and X will roll happily along, using the bill as license to invade the privacy of adults and youth alike. That’s not what I want, and I don’t think it’s what you want either.

On top of that, the bill includes demands that are at best dubiously constitutional. I think we Democrats should be standing up for the Constitution in the present moment, rather than trying to make an end-run around it.
Continue reading An Open Letter Regarding Massachusetts’ “Act promoting safe technology use” →