Social Media

Nebraska social media age-verification bill moves forward

Democratic-allied lawmakers described the bill as government overreach and said it likely would face lawsuits, while supporters of the proposal said it would help address a mental health crisis among young people.

Judge strikes down Arkansas social media law

The decision in a U.S. District Court marks the first time a state’s law restricting children’s platform use has been struck down, although the decision may be appealed.

Minnesota Senate Democrats propose new tax on social media companies

Some Minnesota lawmakers are proposing a first-in-the-nation tax on large social media companies that collect data on consumers in the state.

The best age to use social media? Rhode Island House bill says 18 and over.

Opponents argue bill is myopic of youth’s online needs. Regulators are worried about the heavy lifting involved.

Bill would add protections for children used as content by social media influencers

HB 392 gives legal, financial protections to minors for appearance in parent blogs and other social media content.

Va.’s plan to restrict social media for minors faces pushback and calls for tighter safeguards

Gov. Glenn Youngkin weighs bill that would cap the daily use of apps at one hour while experts call for improved parental controls.

Social media companies applaud Utah’s latest bill aimed at teen social media use

The Utah Legislature passed a law requiring app stores to verify the age of users, the latest social media law from Utah lawmakers.

Alabama House bills would limit social media access for minors

A House committee heard opposition and support for two bills that would limit access to social media for minors at a public hearing earlier this week.

Lawmakers consider requiring parental consent for minors’ social media accounts

The legislation would require consent from a minor's parents before the child could create a social media account.

Illinois governor pushes cellphone ban in public school classrooms

Illinois could be the latest state to pass a school cellphone ban. Gov. Pritzker is pushing for legislation to limit their use in classrooms to emergencies only.

Legal fight against AI-generated child pornography is complicated – a legal scholar explains why, and how the law could catch up

COMMENTARY | US law tries to strike a balance between free speech and protecting people from harm. When it comes to child pornography, AI makes that task all the more difficult.

Utah lawmakers advance bill requiring age verification for app store purchases

The Utah Senate advanced a law to require app stores to verify the ages of customers to give parents more control over their kids' accounts.

Texas’ social media law takes another hit with temporary blocks on three more provisions

The new injunction prohibits advertising and age verification restrictions in the SCOPE Act, which aims to make social media safer for teenagers.

Youth-focused social media mandates need teeth, not just training

Recent legislation in Iowa would require sixth through eighth graders to study the “effects of social media.” But experts caution that minors can’t just be warned about the platforms’ dangers.

Teens on social media: Red, blue and purple states are all passing laws to restrict and protect adolescents

COMMENTARY | New restrictions on how children and teens can spend time online remain concentrated at the state level.

Missouri rule would require algorithm ‘transparency’ on social media

Attorney General Andrew Bailey unveiled the first-in-the-nation rule that would allow users to choose who moderates their content, in a bid to end what he called “monopoly control” over content moderation.

Social media experts are skeptical about the power of new state laws

Lawmakers worry about negative effects on teens, but others raise concerns over free speech.

In times of crisis, states have few tools to fight misinformation

Social media companies have pushed back against efforts to crack down on falsehoods.

Possible TikTok ban could restrict how many Ohio small businesses connect with customers

TikTok could be banned in the United States on Sunday, which could impact how many Ohio small businesses reach customers.

Nebraska lawmakers take aim at youth social media and cell phone use

Gov. Jim Pillen and a group of Nebraska lawmakers take aim at social media and school-hours cell phone use by youths.