Social Media

Children would need permission from a parent or guardian to possess an online social media account under a bill that received bipartisan support Tuesday from an Iowa House committee.

The university had already banned employees from using the app on school-owned and operated devices, but starting Jan. 3, students and staff will not be able to use or download the app on the university network.

Students from Gustavus Adolphus College and St. Peter High School in Minnesota hosted a program through Project 4 Teens in which they talked to middle schoolers about social media, phone usage and other topics.

The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance Tuesday that says all schools should have their own cellphone policies, ideally built by a team of students, teachers and parents to boost buy-in and suit local needs.

The social media network has been the coolest kid in school since the election, with some big public agencies joining. But they must consider emergency management, tech and even fraud before befriending the rising star.

An industry group representing big tech is suing the state after the Legislature passed a law aiming to cut social media addiction among young people, the latest salvo in a legal battle centered on kids' online safety.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta said he will work with a lawmaker during the next legislative session to introduce a bill requiring the labels. Asked whether he’d be open to similar disclosures for artificial intelligence programs, he said it was too early to say for certain.

School cellphone bans are key to combating skyrocketing rates of adolescent anxiety and depression, author Jonathan Haidt said in a webinar. Performance increases follow, California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said.

Amid rising concerns that X has become less safe under billionaire Elon Musk, the platform formerly known as Twitter is seeking to assure advertisers and critics that it still polices harassment.

More than 30 Boston-area public schools are in the process of restricting student phone use on campus. Students and parents said there were "growing pains," but many are happy with the results.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation requiring districts to pass rules by July 1, 2026, to limit or ban students from using smartphones on campus or while students are under the supervision of school staff.

Instagram offers a new kind of account with privacy defaults and more restrictions for users under 18. Some parents and student groups are encouraged, but also skeptical the changes will be sufficient.

In addition to having to turn their phones off during class, students at Middletown Township School District will not be allowed to bring their phones to school for at least five days if they bully other students.

As the first "digital native" generation born after the Internet, and the first to do remote learning at scale, Gen Z is steeped in technology and social media in a way that may influence their politics and expectations.

A federal appeals court will hear arguments in TikTok’s challenge to a law requiring a sale or ban of the app in the U.S., in a case that could determine Congress’ ability to regulate the company.

Officials in San Mateo County, Calif., urged Congress to pass legislation requiring social media companies to add labels to their platforms warning people about their potential to harm users' mental health.

Technology giant Meta announced Thursday that it’s investing nearly a billion dollars to open the company’s first facility in South Carolina, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.

School safeguards against technology abuses are probably lagging behind usage and youthful expertise. As school districts have been debating cell phones, the threat of artificial intelligence has moved up.