US software advocates deliver sweeping petition voicing concerns about numerous pieces of legislation that will decide their future.
Washington D.C., March 31st, 2022 – 15,000 Software industry advocates, representing all 50 states and U.S. territories, signed a petition urging their members of Congress to engage developers in policy conversations before advancing bills that would fundamentally dismantle the app ecosystem.
Key Facts
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15,000 software industry advocates ask that developer businesses not be disrupted in Congress’ quest to break up big tech.
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Developers feel that Congress has rushed through legislation with few public hearings and little scrutiny.
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These bills threaten market access and existing app business models for small and mid-size developers, and shift the burden and liability of data privacy & security compliance to those least equipped to bear it.
The bills of greatest concern to developers are:
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S. 2992 – “American Innovation and Choice Online Act”
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S. 2710 – “Open App Markets Act”
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H.R. 6416 – “Banning Surveillance Advertising Act of 2022”
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H.R. 6580 – “Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2022”
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H.R. 6796 – “Digital Services Oversight and Safety Act of 2022”
Developers fear that Congress is letting its quest to hobble big tech companies come at the expense of organizations of all sizes including the individual developers whose lives depend on a functioning app ecosystem.
“As currently written, these bills would fragment features that work for us, make it harder to advertise and market our products, and vastly increase the influence of bureaucracy. This will add needless complexity and costs that will make it more difficult for us to get our apps to consumers.” – Save Our Apps, Developers Alliance Petition to Congress
The following quote can be attributed to Bruce Gustafson, Developers Alliance President and CEO.
“Software developers are asking Congress to rethink the tactics they’ve chosen in their crusade against big tech. Developers want representatives that listen, and that have the humility to seek advice on topics they don’t fully understand. Above all, developers want to know what steps have been taken to protect their livelihoods while the ecosystems they rely on are torn apart.“
The Developers Alliance urges Congress to have a conversation with developers to determine what works in the app ecosystem and what needs to be fixed. Developers are problem solvers. If Congress wants to solve problems, not just create new ones, they should talk to the experts.
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About The Developers Alliance
The Developers Alliance is the world’s leading advocate for software developers and the companies invested in their success. Alliance members include industry leaders in consumer, enterprise, industrial, and emerging software development, and a global network of more than 70,000 developers.
