Big Tech Group Jumps The Gun On Unreleased Bill, Raising Questions About Cozy Ties With Lawmakers

An Apple-backed trade group prematurely published a press release on April 12th praising a yet-to-be-introduced Senate bill, raising questions about coordination between Big Tech companies and lawmakers on child safety legislation.

The now-removed press release from The App Association praised Republican Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran and Democratic Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen for introducing the Parents Over Platforms Act (POPA), even though the bill had not yet been formally introduced. The incident raises concerns about possible behind-the-scenes coordination between Apple and lawmakers, raising red flags about Big Tech and its influence in federal legislation.

“The Parents Over Platforms Act (POPA), sponsored by Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV), offers a pragmatic, security-first approach by imposing the requirement to receive age information only on apps that provide differentiated experiences for children and adults, like social media apps or adult-only apps,” the now-deleted press release stated.

The bill is expected to be introduced on Wednesday, according to a release from Moran’s office

“Sen. Moran’s office is not aware or involved in any trade organization publishing and then removing a release related to Parents Over Platforms Act,” a spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation