Match Group Becomes First Tech Company to Back Online Child Protection Bill
Match Group has become the first tech company to back an anti-online child abuse bill, which was announced by US senators last week.
The EARN IT Act (Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies), would require tech companies to comply with law enforcement regulations against child sexual exploitation or lose their legal immunity over user-generated content.
“We as tech leaders should engage with lawmakers in thoughtful dialogue and work on establishing guidelines and practices to make the online world a safer place for our kids,” said the chief executive of Match Group, Shar Dubey to Axios.
Many tech companies and digital rights activists have claimed that the new bill if it became law, might allow government officials to access encrypted systems and users’ private information.
Lawmakers have said that under the new bill companies would have to “earn” their liability protection in order to receive a certificate of compliance from government commissions, and industry, legal and victim group representatives.
A hearing on EARN IT is set for today at which Match Group chief legal officer, Jared Sine, will testify along with the Internet Association’s deputy general counsel, a law professor from The Catholic University of America, and a vice president of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Online child abuse has been an ongoing concern across the globe. In May last year, three dating apps were removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for breaking child protection laws.
In September 2019, Sky News discovered that many British children were able to bypass age restrictions on dating apps, and had subsequently been victims of sexual abuse.
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