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New Jersey Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Garden State Equality Fund ask state legislature to reject internet access restrictions
ACLU-NJ, New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, The Trevor Project, the Chamber of Progress, and over 45 other organizations send a letter to legislators urging them to vote no on A5750/S4215
Trenton, New Jersey – Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey and Garden State Equality today called on the state Legislature to reject a bill that would impose highly restrictive regulations on internet access. The bill, A5750/S4215, would join states like Utah and Arkansas in requiring age verification for everyone using social media. Joined by the ACLU of New Jersey, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, The Trevor Project, the Chamber of Progress, and more than 45 respected individuals and statewide and national organizations, the groups announced their sent a letter expressing its position. Opposed to the measure.
This letter outlines several clear and unambiguous reasons why A5750/S4215 is harmful to all New Jerseyans. First and foremost, this bill is a direct threat to the First Amendment free speech rights of all social media users in New Jersey, regardless of age. Additionally, a federal judge blocked a similar bill in Arkansas last fall, citing rights violations. A Utah law imposing similar restrictions is currently being challenged as unconstitutional.
Similar laws and proposed bills around the country are supported by anti-LGBTQ groups such as Focus on the Family, which do not reflect New Jersey’s values. Do New Jersey lawmakers really want our state to follow Utah, Arkansas, and the family-focused path?
Finally, this letter reminds the public that trying to push through this deeply flawed bill now in the final days of a lame-duck session is worth having a more thoughtful and nuanced discussion on issues like this. He claims he will deny it. Overdoing it in the last few hours of this session can have long-term unintended consequences.
A copy of the letter submitted today is below.
Dear members of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly,
We, the undersigned, represent a wide range of organizations, businesses, and community members who have come together to express grave concern and opposition to: A5750/S4215a bill that would require age verification for anyone using social media in New Jersey.
This bill aims to address minors accessing social media without their parents’ permission. However, this law threatens the free speech rights of all social media users in New Jersey. Everyone will have to hand over their personal data and will no longer be able to participate in robust online conversations and communities.
Social media has evolved over the years, and now people of all ages use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to get news, create art, express themselves, and find community. I’m doing it. Many users want to speak anonymously or are concerned about their privacy. Due to age verification, all such users will be blocked from social media, even if she is over 17 years old. Consent requirements violate the First Amendment rights of young people.
Restricting access to the Internet cuts off entire populations (often the most vulnerable) who need access to information such as:
- Immigrant communities fear that providing this information will put them at risk of deportation. This requirement excludes immigrant communities from parts of the Internet that are essential to building communities and accessing information and services that meet their needs.
- LGBTQ+ youth who may not have supportive parents or guardians have access to resources that have proven important to many in the LGBTQ+ community, including mental health support, community, and health information. may be blocked.
- Patients seeking reproductive health care may wish to remain anonymous when seeking medical providers, information, and resources, and this is often done on social media platforms.
- Victims of domestic violence. Anonymity can be important when seeking services, support, assistance and advice, especially for individuals who do not have access to their documents due to a violent partner.
- People in the disability community who don’t have access to government IDs. The Internet provides a source of community, independence, and access to the world that is not available any other way.
- Older adults who may not have the necessary technical skills to process age verification but rely heavily on this technology to stay connected to family and services.
Finally, on August 31, 2023, a federal judge ruled that such a broad law requiring all social media users to identify themselves to technology companies was likely unconstitutional, ruling that The enactment of a similar law in the United States was suspended.
Ironically, at the same time that this bill is being considered in Congress, legislation has also been introduced that would limit the personal data that social media platforms can request and store.
A5750/S4215 defeats the purpose of every good privacy law.
Each of our organizations opposes this bill for a variety of reasons, but this bill is moving too quickly into a lame duck state, and its unintended consequences require further consideration, and this topic is a lame duck. We can all agree that it deserves a longer and more nuanced discussion. I don’t have a lot of time for ducks.
We urge you not to pass this bill and to work with advocates to address the real privacy and security concerns facing New Jerseyans of all ages.
Sincerely,
New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
ACLU of New Jersey
room of progress
cherry hill women’s center
Computer Communications Industry Association
EducateUS
emerging new jersey
Bergen County Ethical and Cultural Association
Fair Share Housing Center
new jersey faith
Let’s fight for the future
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)
equality in the garden state
Gloucester County NAACP #2345
Gaston & Gaston LLP
High Tops Co., Ltd.
Hyacinth Co., Ltd.
indivisible central new jersey
Latina Citizen Activities
Jamie M. Zug Law Office
Leslie A. Farber Law Office
League of Women Voters of New Jersey
LGBT technology
MACTA (Madison Area Call to Action)
Let’s make it better for our youth
make the road new jersey
Melinate Mama
National Council of Jewish Women of New Jersey
New Jersey Immigrant Justice Alliance
Newark Community for Responsible Policing
New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence
Current state of northern New Jersey
One NJ7
New Jersey Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Planned Parenthood Development Activities at Drew University
Planned parent-child generation development activities at Rutgers University
Planned Parenthood Generation Activities at TCNJ
Princeton University Democratic Party
Software Information Industry Association (SIIA)
South Jersey Regional NOW Alice Paul Chapter
trevor project
UUFaith Action New Jersey
Spirit of the Wind Immigration Resource Center
Woodhull Freedom Foundation
New Jersey Working Families Association
Derek Demery, Rutgers Law
diane dresdale
Ellen Elowich, New Jersey
Mrs. Andrea Mintz, New Jersey
Catherine M. Mira, NCJW
Dr. Joey Perera
Grace Samka, NCJW
Dr. Jessica Zirkel-Rubin
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About New Jersey Family Planning Action Fund
The New Jersey Family Planning Action Fund is a nonpartisan, independent 501(c)(4) nonprofit social service organization and the advocacy arm of New Jersey’s family planning affiliates (New Jersey Metropolitan Parenthood (www.ppmnj.org) and Northern, Central, and Southern New Jersey Family Planning (www.ppncsnj.org). The organization advocates for access to essential health care through education, activism, voter engagement, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.
About equality in the Garden State
Garden State Equality is New Jersey’s largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization with more than 150,000 members. Founded in 2004, we are now one of the most successful statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations in the nation. Their services include advocacy, policy work, and training. They are committed to safe environments for youth, improved health services that meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community, and respectful treatment of older adults. Additionally, Garden State Equality supports New Jersey’s activist community by bringing LGBTQ+ perspectives to our common fight for justice.
About the ACLU of New Jersey
For more than 60 years, the ACLU of New Jersey has championed freedom and justice with a vision of a fair and just New Jersey for all. Their mission is to preserve, promote, and expand the individual rights and freedoms guaranteed to all New Jersey residents by the state and federal constitutions in the courts, legislature, and communities.
About the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
The New Jersey Chamber of Commerce is a Trenton-based business advocacy organization that engages key stakeholders on laws and policies that make New Jersey a desirable state to do business and establish good-paying jobs. Masu. Chamber member companies receive exclusive invitations to events that provide valuable networking and educational opportunities.
About the Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is a leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth.
About the Chamber of Progress
The Chamber of Progress (progresschamber.org) is a center-left technology industry policy coalition promoting a progressive future for technology. They work to ensure that all Americans benefit from technological breakthroughs and that the technology industry operates responsibly and fairly. Their corporate partners have no vote or veto on the position. They do not speak for individual partner companies and remain true to their stated principles even if their partners disagree.
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