We urge the full Senate to now take up and pass this needed proposal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Coalition for App Fairness Executive Director Meghan DiMuzio issued the following statement after the Senate Committee on the Judiciary passed the Open App Markets Act out of committee:
“The Coalition for App Fairness applauds the Senate Judiciary Committee for advancing the Open App Markets Act – a historic step toward competition in the app marketplace. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will hold gatekeeper platforms accountable, increase fair competition, and benefit consumers across the nation with greater choice and innovation. We are grateful to Senators Blumenthal, Blackburn, and Klobuchar for sponsoring this bill, and to the committee’s leadership for scheduling today’s vote. We urge the full Senate to now take up and pass this needed proposal.”
The Open App Markets Act would fix a broken app marketplace by barring app stores from requiring apps to use their in-app payment systems, through which they charge exorbitant fees and block communications between developers and their own customers. It would also strengthen consumer freedom by allowing people to choose and install the app store and default apps that make the most sense for them, and easily delete pre-installed apps they don’t want to use. Additionally, the legislation prohibits anti-competitive practices, such as “self-preferencing,” by banning app stores from engaging in behaviors that put their products at an advantage over independent developers and competitors.
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About the Coalition for App Fairness
The Coalition for App Fairness is an independent nonprofit organization formed to protect consumer choice, foster competition, and create a level playing field for all app and game developers globally. Originally formed by Basecamp, Blix, Blockchain.com, Deezer, Epic Games, the European Publishers Council, Match Group, News Media Europe, Prepear, Proton, Skydemon, Spotify, and Tile, CAF has rapidly grown from 13 to over 60 members since launching in September 2020. CAF offers membership to companies of any size — join today at appfairness.org.
CAF Contact
Rick VanMeter
[email protected]