Design It For Us Campaigns Lead Nick Plante issued the following statement after the coalition voted to endorse the Open App Markets Act (S.2153), introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and the App Store Freedom Act (H.R.3209), introduced by Reps. Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Lori Trahan (D-MA):

“Apple and Google’s stranglehold on the app economy tightly restricts our autonomy. As young people who have grown up online, we know that the status quo app ecosystem is engineered against us. Despite innovation towards pro-human technologies that put our privacy, safety, and well-being first, Apple and Google’s dominance systemically obstructs our ability to access technology that allows us to thrive online.

“Our generation of developers is building tools that reject surveillance capitalism and manipulative design. But when Big Tech controls every aspect of distribution and payment systems, these alternatives get crushed. The current system ensures that the most addictive, data-extractive apps always win.

“Design It For Us is proud to endorse the Open App Markets Act (OAMA) and the App Store Freedom Act (ASFA), which can push back on the consolidation of market power to create real choice for users and real opportunity for young people. We are grateful to Senators Blackburn and Blumenthal and Representatives Cammack and Trahan for their leadership, and encourage Congress to act swiftly to advance this critical legislation.”

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About Design It For Us

Design It For Us is a youth-led coalition of young people, activists, and leaders that aims to achieve policy reforms to protect kids, teens, and young adults online. The coalition is led by two Co-Chairs and a team of Program Leads between the ages of 18 and 26. The coalition is also supported by an array of youth-led organizations and advisors.