Can America regulate big tech at all?

The firstamendmentCOPPABy Tamara Gilkes Borr —which prevents the government from “abridging the freedom of speech”—is foundational to America’s democracy. Several states have recently passed legislation to regulate the tech industry that may violate this fundamental right. In 2024, tech companies will fight back.The big question is whether a country with First-Amendment protections can regulate tech at all. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (), which went into effect in 2000, requires websites to obtain parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal data from children under 13. Aside from this law, the tech industry operated with limited regulation for 20 years. Now statehouses on both sides of the political divide have stepped in to fill this void.