Design It For Us Condemns Judge’s Blockage of California Age-Appropriate Design Code 

Design It For Us co-chair Zamaan Qureshi issued the following statement on a Judge’s decision in the US District Court for the Northern District of California to block the implementation of California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code (CA AADC):

“Today’s ruling is a major setback for kids’ safety and another example of an abhorrent abuse of power by Big Tech and their trade organizations, who continue to do everything in their power to derail basic protections for young people online. It’s also a slap in the face to the hundreds of young people who fought long and hard to pass this bill — since Design It For Us was founded — through the statehouse, as well as the countless kids and teens being treated as dollar signs by predatory algorithms. This ruling is a reprehensible failure, representing a grave misunderstanding of the construction of the platforms the CA AADC seeks to improve. The CA AADC would have put an end to platforms profiting off young Californians by limiting the data companies can collect, banning surveillance advertising, and regulating dangerous design features that are addictive and knowingly feed us toxic content to fuel their bottom lines.

Netchoice will say anything to protect Big Tech’s toxic business model, but we see right through it. This lawsuit has always been an attempt to let platforms continue to put profit over our safety – and today’s ruling gave them carte blanche. This fight is about standing up for the wellbeing of young people, despite the limitless resources of Big Tech. We will not stop demanding a better future simply because of an irresponsible judgment.”

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