Arizona AG joins coalition opposing federal bill she says 'lets Big Tech off the hook'

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a bipartisan coalition opposing a federal bill that they say could make it harder to hold tech companies accountable.

The coalition of attorneys general warns that the KIDS Act out of the U.S. House would make any case involving social media harms, obscenity, social gaming platforms and AI chatbots a federal matter.

“We believe it would broadly preempt state laws that address online harm to minors," Richie Taylor, with the Arizona AG's office, said. "It also does not include a meaningful duty of care for online platforms.”

Taylor says that lets tech companies “off the hook.”

“A duty of care requirement is for platforms like these big tech companies: to reasonably see the harm that could come from their products, and make efforts to prevent those harms," Taylor said.

In a statement, Mayes says Congress should reject the House bill and demand for more accountability.

"HR 7757 lets Big Tech off the hook and would hurt the ability of states like Arizona to protect children online,” Mayes said. “The safety of our children is more important than maximizing profits for Big Tech companies and the billionaires who own them. "

The coalition supports an alternative bill — similarly named — coming out of the Senate, which Taylor says keeps the duty of care requirement and preserves states’ authority.