10 signatures reached
To: Governor JB Pritzker ● Illinois State House ● Illinois State Senate
Stop HB5511: Don’t Make Apple, Google and Microsoft Control Our Internet Access
To the Illinois State Legislature and Governor JB Pritzker:
We all want to keep children safe online. But House Bill 5511 (The Children’s Social Media Safety Act) creates a dangerous paradox:
In an effort to protect children, it risks exposing every family in Illinois to new privacy and security threats.
The Problem: A Privacy Risk Disguised as Safety
HB5511 shifts age verification into the core of your device, through operating systems and app stores run by companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
In practice, this could mean:
More identity checks tied to your devices
Users may be required to verify their age at the device or account level, potentially using government-issued ID, financial data, or other personal information.
Users may be required to verify their age at the device or account level, potentially using government-issued ID, financial data, or other personal information.
A growing target for hackers and fraud
Centralizing sensitive identity data across large platforms increases the potential impact of data breaches, scams, and identity theft.
Centralizing sensitive identity data across large platforms increases the potential impact of data breaches, scams, and identity theft.
Expanded tracking of household activity
When devices, accounts, and users are linked together, it creates the potential for broader visibility into how families use the internet, including shared devices used for school, work, and personal use.
When devices, accounts, and users are linked together, it creates the potential for broader visibility into how families use the internet, including shared devices used for school, work, and personal use.
A coalition of 438 scientists, security researchers, and technologists from 32 countries has warned lawmakers about these risks. They conclude that large-scale age verification systems can increase privacy and security risks, are often easy to bypass, and may do more harm than good, especially when they rely on widespread collection of personal data.
The Solution: A Safer, Smarter Approach
We are asking Illinois lawmakers to remove operating system and app store age verification requirements from HB5511 and take time to consider safer alternatives.
One example is the RAVE model (Age Verification Number), which:
● Minimizes data exposure
Uses existing records held by the Illinois Secretary of State to verify age without requiring users to share documents with multiple corporations.
Uses existing records held by the Illinois Secretary of State to verify age without requiring users to share documents with multiple corporations.
● Reduces risk
Avoids creating new databases of sensitive personal information across private platforms.
Avoids creating new databases of sensitive personal information across private platforms.
● Improves accountability
Keeps verification within a system that is subject to public oversight and state-level privacy protections.
Keeps verification within a system that is subject to public oversight and state-level privacy protections.
Our Demand
We call on the Illinois General Assembly and the Governor to:
- Remove the mandate for operating system and app store age verification
- Pause implementation to fully assess privacy, security, and child safety risks
- Pursue privacy-first alternatives that protect children without expanding identity exposure
Closing
We all share the same goal: protecting children online.
But we must do it in a way that does not increase the risk of identity theft, expand data collection, or create new vulnerabilities for families.
Protect children without putting their privacy, and their future, at risk.
Why is this important?
THE HIDDEN RISKS OF HB5511 (The “Safety Paradox”)
Lawmakers are presenting HB5511 as a way to protect children from the harmful parts of the internet. But by moving age verification into your phone’s software and app stores, this bill creates a dangerous paradox:
The “safety” system itself may put your family at risk.
1. Why this is a major change for your family
Right now, you access the internet directly. Under HB5511, your phone or computer becomes a digital checkpoint. Companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft become the gatekeepers. Access to apps and some websites would increasingly depend on your device confirming your age. If the system fails, or if a website can’t support it, access may be restricted or blocked.
2. Your identity becomes a target
This system depends on tying age verification to your device or account. That could involve sharing sensitive information such as government ID, financial data, or other personal details. That creates new risks:
● Identity Theft
Concentrating sensitive data across large platforms increases the potential impact of breaches and leaks.
Concentrating sensitive data across large platforms increases the potential impact of breaches and leaks.
● Sophisticated Scams
As identity checks become more common, it becomes easier for criminals to imitate them and trick people into handing over personal information.
As identity checks become more common, it becomes easier for criminals to imitate them and trick people into handing over personal information.
3. How this could put children at risk
This system is meant to protect children, but it may also expose them to new risks.
● More data about children
Children may need accounts tied to their age, creating larger digital footprints earlier in life.
Children may need accounts tied to their age, creating larger digital footprints earlier in life.
● Connected systems
When devices, accounts, and users are linked, it creates the potential to connect activity across home devices, school-issued laptops, and shared computers.
When devices, accounts, and users are linked, it creates the potential to connect activity across home devices, school-issued laptops, and shared computers.
● Not fully effective
At the same time, experience shows that age checks are often bypassed—meaning more data is collected without fully solving the problem.
At the same time, experience shows that age checks are often bypassed—meaning more data is collected without fully solving the problem.
4. The shift away from an open internet
The internet today is open by default. Under this model, access increasingly depends on verification through corporate-controlled systems. That is a fundamental shift. From open access → to permission-based access. And once built into devices and law, it becomes very difficult to reverse.
⚠️ URGENCY: WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
Current Status: HB5511 has passed the Illinois House and is now moving to the Illinois Senate for consideration. This is the moment when changes can still be made. Once systems like this are written into law and built into technology, they are extremely difficult to undo.
If the device-level requirements are not addressed now, they may become permanent.
How it will be delivered
This petition will be delivered in person to members of the Illinois General Assembly, including bill sponsors and key Senate offices. As an elected Democratic State Central Committeeperson, I have direct access to legislative offices and will ensure these signatures are physically placed in front of decision-makers.
Additional copies will be shared with relevant committee members and leadership offices to ensure broad visibility during Senate consideration.