The U.S. District Court of Montana ordered a stay of proceedings in a case about the state’s attempt at banning TikTok Wednesday, after the parties jointly moved for the motion.
Social Media
Social media platforms are facing intense scrutiny over how they collect, share and monetize user data. As new state and federal laws focus on age verification, parental controls and transparency requirements, social media companies face legal risks around algorithmic targeting, third-party tracking and children's safety. This page follows key legislation, investigations and lawsuits shaping privacy practices for major social platforms.
The South Carolina House passed a kids social media bill requiring age verification Thursday. Members voted 89-14 to send H-3431 to the Senate.
NetChoice renewed its motion to stay district court proceedings Tuesday in a case about California’s SB-976, a social media law that the association alleges undermines free speech and privacy principles and leaves Californians at risk of data breaches and identity theft (see 2501060009).
Industry can’t figure out a constitutional way to word a kids’ privacy bill, a TechNet official said at a Washington state legislative hearing Tuesday.
Connecticut’s age-verification bill includes only minor changes from current state privacy and social media regulations, Sen. James Maroney (D) said Wednesday.
The Oklahoma House Children Committee voted 6-0 to approve a bill setting privacy rules for kids at a hearing Wednesday.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) on Tuesday opposed a motion by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) to dismiss a challenge to a kids social media bill. CCIA said Moody’s objections are meritless and focus more on the way the complaint is organized, rather than its content.
The U.S. District Court for Middle Tennessee denied NetChoice’s motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) on a law limiting kids’ access to social media accounts. NetChoice’s claims of irreparable harm are at odds with its delay in filing motions for relief, the court said Friday.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a $725 million class-action settlement against Meta Thursday, despite opponents claiming the deal is inadequate and that the social media company should pay more. The suit accuses Meta, parent company of Facebook, of violating user privacy by allowing advertisers and partners to harvest user data without their consent.
The House Commerce Committee’s new Republican working group will focus solely on comprehensive privacy legislation, and Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., will remain the lead on kids privacy, Rep. John Joyce, R-Pa., told us Thursday.