Social Media

The Allegheny Valley School District joined a growing list of school districts nationwide that are in the process of pursuing legal action against social media companies like TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.

TikTok Inc.'s popular video app is facing its first statewide ban in the U.S. after Montana’s governor signed a measure Wednesday that will prohibit its download by the general public beginning next year.

The social media business model is simple: Trade Americans’ data for dollars, which has led companies to exploit our children’s anxiety and obliterate their attention spans by keeping them online as long as possible.

As migrants continue to surge to the U.S., they have increasingly turned to TikTok and other social media sites not just for family contact but also for updates on policy changes and how they might affect them.

A popular Oklahoma government TikTok account survived a statewide ban, highlighting what agencies lose when they leave the platform — a unique avenue for communicating with certain groups of constituents.

Traverse City Area Public Schools is at least the 11th district in Michigan to join a national class-action lawsuit alleging property damage, counselor pay and other expenses incurred by student addiction to social media.

A constituent is suing New York City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who allegedly blocked the person on Twitter. The situation is similar to a successful lawsuit brought against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a few years ago.

California's chief banking says the department was slow to demand fixes at Silicon Valley Bank — too slow for an era in which social media and mobile banking can drive an unprecedented run on deposits.

The platform has undergone several changes since Elon Musk bought it and took it private late last year — especially when it comes to credibility and verification features, critical to government communications.

One of the largest school districts in Arizona has joined a lawsuit against several social media companies, alleging that their algorithms, corporate decisions and business strategies have harmed student mental health.

A rising number of state and federal lawmakers are crafting legislation that would restrict young kids' access to social media. But some policy experts worry that the bills will be difficult to enforce and may have unintended consequences.

School districts across Pennsylvania are suing Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and similar companies based on the public nuisance legal theory and alleged contributions to mental health issues in children.

As Twitter users apply for new verification statuses, while combatting a rise in fake accounts, the chance of misinformation spreading — particularly in the event of an emergency — affects government at all levels.

Given news of many universities and state governments banning access to TikTok on their networks, a public community college in Kansas is evaluating whether or not it's wise to even advertise on the platform.

Lawmakers of both parties are eyeing legislation that would advance federal data privacy as well as measures that would address children’s online privacy. Colorado, Connecticut, Utah and Virginia have also passed privacy laws.

Pending the governor’s signature, Florida House Bill 379 will require school districts to prohibit students from accessing social media platforms during school and develop curricula on social media safety.

The measure, null, and its companion, null, are headed for final votes. Both measures attempt to give consumers the right to opt out of sharing their data for targeted online ads.

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide when — or whether — public officials with public-facing social media accounts can legally deny access to individuals who want to post comments.