Editorials
Op-Ed by David Hall- Executive Director for TRIO
Protecting Access, Empowering Families: Why the App Store Accountability Act Matters
When I was on dialysis for ten years before receiving my kidney transplant in 2009, access to information literally meant the difference between hope and despair. Today, as Executive Director of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO), I see how digital platforms have revolutionized our ability to reach people who need organ donation awareness and support—including young people who live with chronic disease. At the same time, I recognize that keeping kids safe online is a top priority for every parent, which means we need to find the right balance between content restrictions and streamlined parental involvement.
Our organization relies heavily on online services to connect with potential donors, transplant recipients, and their families across the Pacific Northwest. Social media algorithms help us reach people who might be searching for information about organ donation, kidney disease, or transplant procedures. These personalized content systems allow us to deliver life-saving educational resources to exactly the people who need them most, when they need them most.
Some legislative approaches to online safety could inadvertently block organizations like ours from reaching the audiences we serve. Previous attempts to restrict personalized content or heavily regulate social media algorithms could interfere with our mission. This is exactly why I support the App Store Accountability Act. This federal legislation keeps kids safe without hindering the important work that health organizations, nonprofits, and educational groups do online.
Here's the difference: instead of restricting what content young people can see or limiting how platforms can share information, the App Store Accountability Act focuses on something much simpler—making sure parents know which apps their teenagers are downloading.
When a teenager wants to join a platform, their parent receives a notification and can approve or deny that app download. Once approved, the young person has full access to the resources, and community connections that platform provides.
During my years on dialysis, I learned firsthand how isolating serious health conditions can be, especially for young people. Online communities provide crucial support that simply isn't available in many local areas. Teenagers dealing with chronic illness, family members facing transplant decisions, or young adults navigating genetic health risks can find community online when they can’t in person.
The App Store Accountability Act protects this access while addressing parents' legitimate concerns about online safety.
Washington's congressional delegation should support this legislation because it protects both family authority and access to vital information. In order to continue spreading awareness and protecting supportive and educational communities for teens online, legislators must pass the App Store Accountability Act.
[David Hall founded Pacific Northwest Chapter of Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO) and a kidney transplant recipient who spent ten years on dialysis before his transplant in 2009.]
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