AICOA 3.0 Continues To Raise National Security Concerns
The amended American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) does not address the serious national security concerns that experts have warned the legislation raises—and experts continue to sound the alarm.
Here’s what to read to get up to speed:
1. AICOA “will place U.S. companies at a structural disadvantage” relative to China, warn Former Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, and 10 other officials.
2. AICOA “would constrain” U.S companies from removing malicious actors and integrating cybersecurity tools, “possibly leaving U.S. tech infrastructure vulnerable to America’s foreign adversaries,” explain Former DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson and former U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien.
3. Anti-tech bills “give China a backdoor” into American data, cautioned Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.). The Congressman also points out that antitrust reforms would have “unintended cybersecurity consequences.”
4. AICOA “would unintentionally curtail the ability of these platforms to target disinformation efforts” by foreign adversaries and “safeguard the security of their users in the U.S. and globally,” say seven former U.S. national security officials who served in Democratic and Republican administrations in an open letter.
5. AICOA and similar legislation “would require leading U.S. tech companies to grant competitors ‘access and interoperability’ to operating systems, hardware and software features”—including foreign rivals—warns Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.
6. AICOA will directly benefit Chinese and other foreign tech competitors, while disadvantaging U.S. companies, explains Former U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien.
7. Anti-tech legislation could put sensitive U.S. data and IP in the hands of Beijing, warn twelve former top U.S. national security officials in an open letter.
8. Anti-tech legislation “would, among other things,” require U.S. companies to “disclose sensitive user data and sensitive IP and trade secrets to competitors, including those that are foreign-owned and controlled; facilitate foreign influence in the United States; and compromise cybersecurity,” cautions the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
9. Recent anti-tech bills “may impede U.S. technology companies from enforcing their robust cybersecurity policies” against third parties finds a report by King & Spalding, commissioned by CCIA.
10. The legislation lacks protection for systems and critical software, turning the existing order “on its head,” explains the Lexington Institute.