As the 2025 legislative session ends amid a federal government shutdown, Congress is pushing conflicting app store bills under the guise of enhancing children’s online safety. Representatives Kat Cammack and John James propose opposing measures that ironically both undermine digital security: Cammack’s App Store Freedom Act would force major app stores to allow sideloading and access to internal APIs, weakening parental controls and increasing exposure to malware, while James’s App Store Accountability Act mandates broad age verification and parental consent requirements that shift responsibility to app stores, raising privacy and security concerns by making companies government gatekeepers.

Together, these bills create a contradictory and harmful regulatory patchwork that threatens user safety, privacy, and the balance of freedom and security in the U.S. app marketplace. Rather than imposing confusing mandates or copying flawed European models, lawmakers should prioritize transparent tools, digital literacy, and accountability to genuinely support parents and protect children online without sacrificing privacy or security. The rush to legislate without clear, effective solutions risks greater harm than lax oversight.