Privacy Daily is providing readers with the top stories from last week, in case you missed them. All articles can be found by searching on the title or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
NetChoice submitted a renewed motion for a preliminary injunction Friday on a Tennessee law about kids' access to social media, and requested the court issue a temporary restraining order to take effect as soon as possible.
The early weeks of January have brought a blizzard of state bills focused on protecting kids online, including requiring age verification on porn and social media websites. Some industry groups have long raised privacy concerns with such mandates, arguing they could require that users submit sensitive information confirming their age or parental status to consent to a child’s access.
A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law forcing ByteDance to divest TikTok, citing Congress’ “well-supported national security concerns.”
U.K. regulator Ofcom Thursday issued industry guidance detailing how apps and sites can implement effective age checks to keep children from encountering online porn and protect them from other harmful content. Pornography providers have until July to introduce age checks, it said. The office also published a statement on age assurance and children's access, and warned that its age assurance enforcement program is open for business.
A kids social media bill requiring age verification cleared the Indiana Senate Judiciary Committee with an amendment in a 10-1 vote at a livestreamed hearing Wednesday. The bill would prohibit kids 15 years old and younger from accessing social media unless they have parental permission.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) opposed an injunction on a state law that would regulate addictive social media feeds for minors, arguing the organization didn't prove that the challenged provisions in the law are unconstitutional. In November, NetChoice sued Bonta over SB-976, alleging it undermines free speech and privacy principles.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) on Monday asked to dismiss the Computer and Communications Industry Association's (CCIA) complaint against a kids social media bill. Also, Florida opposed the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction.
New-for-2025 comprehensive privacy bills appeared in Illinois and Oklahoma this week. In Illinois, state Sen. Sue Rezin's (R) proposed measure seems based on California’s law. The Oklahoma proposal, from Sen. Brent Howard (R), takes a Virginia-style approach. Privacy Daily is tracking comprehensive bills in at least five states.
X's copyright case against a data-scraping company is worth watching closely this year, McCarthy Law Group founder Kieran McCarthy said in a blog post Monday.