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☆ Silicon Valley Battles States Over New Online Safety Laws for Children
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Natasha Singer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last summer, Ohio enacted a social media statute that would require Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube to get a parent’s consent before permitting children under age 16 to use their platforms. The case is part of a sweeping litigation campaign by NetChoice to block new state laws protecting young people online — an anti-regulation effort likely to come under scrutiny on Wednesday as the Senate Judiciary Committee questions social media executives about child sexual exploitation online. The NetChoice lawsuits have rankled state officials and lawmakers who sought tech company input as they drafted the new measures. “I think it’s cowardly and disingenuous,” Jon Husted, the lieutenant governor of Ohio, said of the industry lawsuit, noting that either he or his staff had met with Google and Meta about the bill last year and had accommodated the companies’ concerns. “We tried to be as cooperative as we possibly could be — and then at the 11th hour, they filed a lawsuit.”

Persons: —, ” Jon Husted, “, ” Organizations: YouTube, Google, Federal, Court Locations: Ohio

They require age verification for anyone in the state who wants to create a social media account, which critics say could compromise users' data security. “We will continue to lead the nation in protecting kids against social media, and we will hold social media companies accountable for the harm that they are inflicting upon our youth,” Adams said. Since escaping, she has used social media to help girls in similar situations. The laws also create new pathways for parents to sue social media companies for causing their children harm. Federal judges have temporarily blocked Arkansas and Ohio from enforcing their state laws requiring parental consent for minors to create new social media accounts.

Persons: —, Spencer Cox, Stuart Adams, ” Adams, “, NetChoice, Lu Ann Cooper, Hannah Zoulek, ” Zoulek, Cox, Sean Reyes fends, Sen, Kirk Cullimore Organizations: LAKE CITY, Republican, Republican Gov, Rights, “, Sandy Republican Locations: Utah, Arkansas, Ohio

☆ Federal judge blocks Arkansas social media age verification law to have gone into effect Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Michelle Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —A US District Judge has blocked an Arkansas social media age verification law that was set to go in effect Friday, according to a Thursday court filing. The act was aimed at requiring “age verification for use of social media; and to clarify liability for failure to perform age verification for use of social media and illegal retention of data,” according to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office. It’s believed this would have been the first law in the US requiring age verification from new social media users, and to require parental consent, to go into effect. “We’re pleased the court sided with the First Amendment and stopped Arkansas’ unconstitutional law from censoring free speech online and undermining the privacy of Arkansans, their families and their businesses as our case proceeds,” Marchese said in the statement. Brooks said the act is blocked “pending final disposition of the issues on the merits.”CNN reached out to Huckabee Sanders’ office for comment.

Persons: Sarah Huckabee Sanders, It’s, Timothy L, Brooks, NetChoice —, “, Chris Marchese, “ We’re, ” Marchese, ”, Huckabee Sanders Organizations: CNN, Judge, Facebook, NetChoice Litigation, ” CNN Locations: Arkansas

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