Accountable Tech Executive Director and Co-Founder Nicole Gill issued the following statement on the Maryland Kids Code coming into effect:
“Thanks to the advocates, young leaders, and parents, 1.4 million Maryland kids and teens have the chance to experience an online environment that prioritizes their well-being above all else. Young people have borne the brunt of Big Tech’s toxic business practices and deserve a digital future that prioritizes their safety and privacy.
“Legislators and Governor Wes Moore aptly chose the side of protecting their constituents over the interests of the tech industry, which for too long has gotten away without any accountability for the harms they’ve perpetuated on their platforms in the name of reaping profits. Today’s enactment symbolizes that it is indeed possible to stand up against Big Tech, if we are bold enough to fight back.”
Accountable Tech is a member of the Maryland Kids Code Coalition and worked to pass the first-of-its-kind California Age Appropriate Design Code signed by Governor Gavin Newsom into law in 2022 requiring online platforms to provide safety-by-design and privacy-by-default to children and teens.
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About Accountable Tech
Accountable Tech is a non-profit organization advocating for digital justice by reining in Big Tech’s threats to society and democracy with legislative, regulatory, and structural solutions. Through strategic initiatives and creative campaigns, Accountable Tech is challenging the industry’s toxic business model in order to protect data privacy, preserve the health of democracy, and create safer online platforms. We are leading the movement to advance a better, more human-centered digital future, and tech for the common good. To learn more, visit accountabletech.org.
