Social Media

U.S. Senators prepared to vote Tuesday on a package of bills designed to safeguard children online. Opponents geared up to lobby against them in the House.

Kids and adults alike seem to understand that the rapid change in cellphone use post-COVID has not been good for them, but they don't agree on exactly how to change the rules to make them work for everyone.

Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon has tracked down the source of recent presidential ballot deadline misinformation. It originated from Grok, the AI chatbot available to premium users of social media platform X.

Two proposals now before the state Legislature would bar sending push notifications to kids at night and during school hours, and prohibit businesses from collecting, using or sharing minors’ data without their consent.

A Facebook page with more than 25,000 members, “DFW stolen cars and trucks” is a resource for people whose vehicles have been taken. It also helps offset the advent of technology that makes it easier to steal vehicles.

Using large language models, and with some adult supervision, the chatbot would coach young people on how to identify and respond to messages from online predators.

The question is front of mind for U.S. influencers and many small businesses as lawmakers threaten to ban the Chinese-owned social media app that's become a cornerstone of Internet culture and e-commerce.

Officials in Middletown, N.J., have proposed a policy banning smartphone use in classrooms, bathrooms, locker rooms and most spaces outside of high school free periods, as a statewide ban is discussed.

Amid the national conversation about whether cellphones belong in schools, a recent high school graduate from North Carolina defends them as tools for lonely students to find and connect with like-minded peers.

An 18-year-old youth advocate from the nonprofit Work2BeWell argues that instead of banning cellphones, schools should teach students proper cellphone etiquette alongside digital literacy.

A teen who recently graduated from Sycamore High School in Cincinnati says students need to be able to contact their parents in case of schedule changes or emergencies, but they should take regular breaks from screens.

Still in committee as part of the Kids Off Social Media Act, Eyes on the Board aims to tie E-rate funding to the restriction of social media access on any school networks supported by these federal funds.

Nine groups including teachers and parents across Maine have joined forces to convince schools to ban cellphone use during the day, and parents to adopt new norms around how often their kids can access devices.

Proposed legislation approved in the Pennsylvania State Senate would give school districts money for lockable pouches to store student phones if those districts ban cell phone use during the school day.

The Supreme Court’s decision on two cases challenging social media content moderation policies could expand protections for tech platforms under the First Amendment umbrella.

As the California legislature works on a bill to restrict cellphone usage in classrooms, school administrators who have seen kids addicted to their phones at young ages are open to the idea and hope it provides guidance.

Many Bay Area school districts already restrict cellphone use in schools but allow students to use their phones during non-instructional time. Students and staff have mixed opinions on the idea of a statewide policy.

Justices sent back down two challenges to Florida and Texas laws regulating social media platforms. Writing for the court’s majority, Justice Elena Kagan said lower courts had more work to do in laying out the legal issues.