Buddy AI violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by failing to get parental consent for collecting children’s data and not providing proper notice of its practices, BBB National Programs’ Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) said Wednesday.
An Iowa social media bill requiring age verification cleared the state’s House Judiciary Committee by a 19-2 vote on Tuesday. The committee approved HF-278, which says that platforms must not permit those younger than 18 to obtain accounts without parental consent. Child online safety bills advanced in multiple other states this week, too (see 2502250017).
A Vermont Senate panel weighed changes to an age-appropriate design code bill (S-69) at a meeting Wednesday. The Institutions Committee was scheduled to meet again about the bill Thursday.
The Connecticut Senate will vote on an AI bill by Sen. James Maroney (D) this year, as it did last year, declared President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D) at a press conference ahead of a Wednesday hearing on SB-2. While Looney said passage of the bill is urgent, Connecticut's chief innovation officer told a hearing the state risks regulating too soon and getting it wrong.
State bills on child online safety received key committee OKs in several states this week. Kids privacy has been a focus for state legislatures this year (see 2501170053).
Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) would lack the resources to enforce Maryland privacy laws without a proposed tax on data brokers that would fund a dedicated privacy team in his office, he said during a state House Economic Matters Committee hearing Tuesday. During a livestreamed session, the panel heard testimony on HB-1089, which would require that data brokers register with the state and, starting in the 2027 tax year, pay a 6% tax on gross income.
The FTC would work productively with state attorneys general on privacy enforcement if Congress granted the authority in a federal privacy law, FTC nominee Mark Meador told the Senate Commerce Committee during his confirmation hearing Tuesday.
House Commerce Committee Republicans on Friday requested public input on potential federal privacy legislation. The elimination of a private right of action, preemption of state privacy and AI laws and conflicts with existing federal law were among the topics Republicans outlined in their request for information (RFI).
What constitutes a “covered business” under Vermont’s proposed Age-Appropriate Design Code (AADC) Act dominated arguments at a Senate Insitutions Committee hearing Friday.
A Washington state kids privacy bill needs more work but should advance, House Consumer Protection Committee Chair Amy Walen (D) said Friday. The panel voted 9-6 to clear HB-1834 at a livestreamed executive session.