IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 721 

Calling for the establishment of an app ratings board to enforce consistent 

and accurate age and content ratings of apps on internet-ready devices 

and calling on technology companies to ensure the implementation of 

user-friendly and streamlined parental controls on devices used by minors. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2019 

Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. MCADAMS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for the establishment of an app ratings board to 

enforce consistent and accurate age and content ratings 

of apps on internet-ready devices and calling on technology companies to ensure the implementation of userfriendly and streamlined parental controls on devices 

used by minors. 

Whereas internet-ready devices, and the applications that run 

on such devices, are used by millions of minors daily; 

Whereas the most-downloaded apps often include content that 

is not consistent with the age rating or description of 

such apps; 


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•HRES 721 IH 

Whereas clarity in the rating of apps is a critical part of social responsibility on the part of leading technology companies when including apps in their databases for their 

users to download; 

Whereas parents of minors deserve transparency and accuracy in the ratings of apps and the meanings behind 

those ratings; 

Whereas no third-party organization is holding app developers accountable to ensure that app age ratings are consistent and accurate across devices and that app descriptions adequately explain the content and advertising 

available to minors in such apps; 

Whereas no third-party organization has the authority to impose sanctions for nondisclosure related to app content 

and advertising; 

Whereas apps contain unique risks of both exposure to inappropriate content and predators, so a specific app rating 

system that takes these unique risks into account is needed; 

Whereas social media is increasingly being used to recruit 

and sexually exploit young users for sexual abuse or sex 

trafficking; 

Whereas social media is increasingly used for sexual harassment and sexualized bullying, including unsolicited sexually explicit images, repeated requests for sexually explicit 

imagery, sexual images that are not consensually shared, 

and unwanted exposure to pornographic images; 

Whereas recent studies indicate that excessive use of social 

media, particularly in young girls, can lead to an increase 

in depressive symptoms; 


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•HRES 721 IH 

Whereas suicide rates, depression, and mental health issues 

among adolescents in the United States have been found 

to increase as social media use has surged within the 

same age group; 

Whereas many providers and users of interactive computer 

services covered by section 230 of the Communications 

Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230), as added by section 509 

of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, have failed 

to comply with basic best business practices in connection 

with the protection of minors from harmful content, 

therefore instigating interest in a review of the status of 

such providers and users under section 230 unless the 

business practices of such providers and users come into 

alignment with reasonable care and best business practices of such providers and users appropriate for protecting minors; 

Whereas popular apps often do not include parental controls 

or have inadequate parental controls; 

Whereas the parental controls provided on internet-ready devices are often insufficient, ignore the age of users, contain loopholes, and are difficult to implement, leaving minors unprotected from sexual abuse and exploitation; and 

Whereas the improper use of internet-ready devices during 

school hours contributes to student distraction and lower 

test scores and the use of such devices during bedtime 

hours can lead to sleep disturbance: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) calls on technology and app development 

3 companies to establish an app rating board, com4 prised of industry representatives and child developVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:38 Nov 21, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR721.IH HR721

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•HRES 721 IH 

1 ment, child protection, and internet safety subject 

2 matter experts to— 

3 (A) establish new criteria for what content 

4 and in-app risks result in specified age-appro5 priate app ratings; 

6 (B) review app ratings and descriptions of 

7 the most-downloaded apps; and 

8 (C) impose sanctions for noncompliance; 

9 and 

10 (2) calls on technology companies to— 

11 (A) manufacture internet-ready devices, in12 cluding iPhones, Android devices, and 

13 Chromebooks, with user-friendly parental con14 trols; 

15 (B) close loopholes that permit the bypass16 ing of parental controls; 

17 (C) build in age-based, default safety set18 tings; and 

19 (D) provide selective app shutoff for bed20 time and school hours. 

Æ 


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