Bill Overview
Title: ACCESS Act of 2022
Description: 22 This bill requires large communications platform providers with more than 100 million monthly users (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) to establish interfaces (e.g., application programming interfaces [APIs]) that make user data portable and services interoperable. These interfaces must be made available for users and competitor platforms to access and transfer such user data. Competitors accessing user data through an interface must keep the data reasonably secure and may not use it for commercial purposes. Users also may designate third parties that meet certain requirements, including registering with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), to manage their user data. A communications platform may place reasonable limits on competitors' access to its interoperability interface. The bill further requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop model technical standards for implementing platform interoperability.
Sponsors: Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA]
Target Audience
Population: Users of large communication platforms
Estimated Size: 230000000
- The bill affects users of large communication platforms that have over 100 million monthly users, which include popular social media services like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- These platforms have billions of global users collectively, as platforms like Facebook have nearly 3 billion monthly active users.
- The legislation will impact a large portion of internet users since these platforms are integral to digital communication and social networking worldwide.
Reasoning
- The ACCESS Act primarily affects users of major social media platforms with features for data portability and interoperability, which are core to how people manage their digital identities and connectivity.
- The target population is not homogeneously affected; younger users who are more tech-savvy may utilize the new data portability features more heavily than older demographics.
- The policy affects both individual users, who gain control over their data, and businesses, which can increase competition and innovation in digital services.
- Not all users will experience significant changes since many might not switch services even with better portability, especially those who are loyal to a specific platform due to its specific community or features.
- In terms of wellbeing, users' satisfaction may increase if they value privacy and control over data, potentially reducing anxiety over data breaches.
- The cost and size of implementation entail ensuring the technical development of APIs, security standards, and oversight structures.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The ACCESS Act is a great move towards more digital autonomy.
- I think it will increase competition among platforms and encourage innovation.
- Data portability might help mitigate some of my privacy concerns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Digital Marketer (New York, NY)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This law could help improve the market's competitiveness and break some monopolistic controls.
- I am interested in seeing how smaller platforms can leverage this change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Small Business Owner (Austin, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It could make it easier for me to reach a wider audience with less dependence on major platforms alone.
- Security of data shared with new platforms is a concern.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This act is good as it gives users more control and transparency over their data.
- I'm concerned about whether new services will truly respect user privacy with the data they get.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not sure I'll use these new features, but knowing they exist is reassuring.
- I've seen too many security scares, so more security is always good.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Influencer (Miami, FL)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being able to switch platforms easily could help diversify my presence.
- I'm curious about how this will affect engagement and reach metrics.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software Developer Advocate (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This has potential to revolutionize digital rights and consumer choice.
- I hope it leads to stronger enforcement of data privacy standards across the industry.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
IT Manager (Dallas, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seems like a step in the right direction, but I'm unsure about actual enforcement.
- Security improvements are beneficial, just hope there's genuine accountability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
Freelance Photographer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The ability to move data and services could broaden my client base.
- Data security and content rights remain primary concerns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Entrepreneur (Denver, CO)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could help level the playing field for smaller companies like mine.
- Defining what constitutes 'reasonable security' will be crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $80000000)
Year 2: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $80000000)
Year 3: $55000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $85000000)
Year 5: $60000000 (Low: $35000000, High: $90000000)
Year 10: $65000000 (Low: $40000000, High: $95000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Key Considerations
- The primary cost involves regulatory oversight and the establishment of technical standards.
- Long-term impacts depend largely on how effectively competition is stimulated among platforms.
- There are significant uncertainties around the behavior of both incumbent platforms and new market entrants post-implementation.
- Potential litigation and compliance costs for firms operating large communication platforms.