Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday to remove a preliminary injunction on a Texas law requiring age verification before accessing many platforms, websites and digital services. Granting Paxton's request would reverse the previous ruling of the U.S. District Court for Western Texas. That court erred when it determined the law triggered strict scrutiny and labeled it “vague,” Paxton argued.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) asked the U.S. District Court for Western Arkansas Monday to alter or amend its ruling that permanently enjoined a state social media safety act, claiming the court lacks authority to abolish a law, only block enforcement of it.
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California Assembly members advanced privacy bills on geolocation data and AI transparency, while acknowledging there's still work ahead to address opponents' concerns during a livestreamed Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday. The committee advanced the bills to the Appropriations Committee.
The House voted 409-2 Monday to pass the Take It Down Act (S-146), despite privacy-related objections from encryption advocates.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) sued Roku, alleging on Tuesday that the streaming TV box maker collects the personal information of minors without parental consent or knowledge, in violation of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Michigan Consumer Protection Act. Roku plans to fight back, a spokesperson said.
Louisiana lawmakers lambasted videogame industry opposition Monday to a bill creating a duty of care for online platforms with minor users. At a livestreamed hearing, the state’s House Civil Law Committee voted unanimously by voice to clear HB-37 with amendments. At a separate hearing, the House Commerce Committee decided to wait for a week to vote on an app store age-verification bill (HB-570) to allow for more negotiation with tech companies.
A bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general and Meta agreed Friday to dismiss a case the AGs brought against the social media company for its role in the youth mental health crisis, according to a filing at the U.S. District Court for Northern California (case 23-05448). The parties did not say in the court notice why they dismissed the suit.
A trio of child online safety bills became law in Arkansas this week. Meanwhile, in Texas, the House passed a kids safety measure Thursday.
Expect movement shortly on three Vermont privacy bills, including a comprehensive privacy measure, state Rep. Monique Priestley (D) said in an interview at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington earlier this week. Priestley will continue tweaking the legislation based on feedback, including a change covering more businesses in her kids code bill.