The U.S. District Court for Western Arkansas ruled Monday in favor of tech trade association NetChoice, permanently enjoining an Arkansas social media safety act as unconstitutional. The court said the age-verification law violated the First and 14th Amendments.
A group of Texas lawmakers warned about potential internet harm for minors during a hearing on a pair of kids online safety bills in the Senate State Affairs Committee on Monday.
NetChoice and the Computer Communications Industry Association (CCIA) re-filed a lawsuit Friday against Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) over HB-3, which the groups allege violates the First Amendment and puts cybersecurity and privacy risks on state residents. The same day at another federal district court, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) sought to dismiss a separate NetChoice lawsuit against the Maryland Age-Appropriate Design Code (MAADC) Act.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (R) asked the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee on Monday again to deny NetChoice's preliminary injunction against a law requiring age verification to access social media accounts. Skrmetti argued the association's notice of supplemental authority concerns an unrelated data privacy law.
Oral argument is scheduled for April 2 at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in NetChoice, LLC v. Bonta. Case 25-146 concerns California’s 2024 law (SB-976) that places restrictions on social media feeds for minors. These restrictions pose privacy and security risks, consumer privacy advocates say (see 2502070019).
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti (R) urged the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee on Friday to deny NetChoice’s request for a preliminary injunction on a bill requiring age verification to access social media accounts following the decision in CCIA & NetChoice v. Uthmeier (see 2503170061). NetChoice responded Tuesday, asking the court to grant the preliminary injunction and enjoin the AG from enforcing HB-1891, as the ruling in the Uthmeier case “has no bearing here.”
NetChoice filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Middle Louisiana against Attorney General Liz Murrill (R) over an act that would require age verification before a user could access social media platforms. The action Tuesday alleges the legislation violates the First Amendment and poses a serious threat to online safety and cybersecurity.
The U.S. District Court for Northern Florida on Monday dismissed a case against Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) over a bill prohibiting kids 13 and younger from creating social media accounts and requiring parental consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to create accounts. The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) and NetChoice, plaintiffs in the case, failed to allege standing, the court said.
The U.S. District Court for Northern Florida on Thursday denied a Computer and Communications Industry Association motion for a preliminary injunction against a state kids social media bill. CCIA failed to show likelihood of standing, the court said.
In a win for trade association NetChoice, on Thursday the U.S. District Court for Northern California granted a preliminary injunction against California’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (CAADCA), which aims to protect the privacy and safety of children online. The injunction enjoins California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and his office from enforcing the act. Judge Beth Labson Freeman said the definition of coverage in CAADCA was content-based and violated the First Amendment.