AICOA Would Undermine App Store Security and Consumer Safety
Recently, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) was reintroduced in Congress. However, although (falsely) framed as proposal to increase competition in digital markets, the bill poses significant risks to cybersecurity.
AICOA would require greater access to third-party app stores and sideloading. Sideloading occurs when a user installs applications from sources outside of a device’s official app store. Proponents of AICOA argue that greater competition and consumer choice prevent dominant platforms from discriminating against competitors. However, they fail to account for significant security risks to consumers, in effect prioritizing competitors over consumers.
Trusted app stores serve as a security filter by screening apps before they reach consumers. For example, Apple’s reviewed more than 9 million app submissions, rejected more than 2 million apps, terminated nearly 200,000 developer accounts over fraud concerns, and rejected more than 138,000 developer enrolments. These figures demonstrate both the extensive oversight required to protect consumers and the sheer volume of fraudulent or potentially dangerous apps that app stores prevent from reaching users.
Interoperability mandates could expose digital users to malware, scams, fraudulent applications, and pornographic content that has been excluded from curated app stores. They would leave American consumers with weaker cybersecurity, diminished privacy protections, and worse user experiences. By weakening platforms’ ability to vet and control app distribution, AICOA would make it more difficult to maintain the security standards consumers currently depend on. AICOA would functionally reduce consumer choice by preventing tech companies from offering maximally secure product to consumers who prefer them.
When considering how to regulate the digital world, lawmakers must remain cognizant of the cybersecurity tradeoffs that their proposals would entail.
Published on June 18, 2026