Scathing FTC Report Says Social Media Companies Engage in ‘Vast Surveillance’
A report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has found that major social media and video streaming have been engaged in ‘vast surveillance,’ including of children.
Leading AI Companies Promise to Protect Children From Dangers of AI
Several major players in the artificial intelligence field pledged to protect children online, marking another chapter in the progression of AI safety.
Thermal Camera Helps Deputies Find, Rescue Missing Child in Swampland
Sheriff's deputies in Florida used thermal imaging cameras on a police helicopter to locate and rescue a missing five-year-old autistic child in the swamplands of Tampa.
Parents Are Increasingly Saying ‘No’ to Posting Photos of Their Children
A child's online privacy has long been a concern for parents and guardians, and even law enforcement. It is a topic mired in debate, and it's also an ever-changing technological landscape thanks to new AI tools. Wading into the complicated situation is freelance writer Hannah Nwoko in a new piece for The Guardian.
New York City Sues Social Media Companies for Harming Children
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city government filed a lawsuit against five social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Ohio Social Media Law Aimed at Children
There is a lot of talk these days about social media use and its effects on children. It seems that states are proposing and passing laws restricting social media left and right, with California, Texas, and New York, among others, passing social media-related laws last year. Another state, Ohio, attempted to enact a strict law to keep children off of social media without parental consent, and a United States federal judge struck it down this week.
Meta Expands Sextortion Resources for Teens
A week after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled during a Senate hearing on child safety, the company announced new protections for teens navigating sextortion scams.
Instagram Launches Family Center, its Hub of Parental Supervision Tools
Instagram has made good on its promise to add more parental controls to its app with the launch of Family Center, a hub where parents can access supervision controls and resources from experts.
Biden Tells Congress to Enhance Child Safety on Social Media
During his State of the Union address on March 1, President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass new laws aimed at protecting children on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Coalition of States are Investigating Instagram’s Harmful Effect on Children
A bipartisan coalition of eight state attorneys general is investigating the effects of Instagram on young people with a focus on the techniques used by the company to increase and maintain engagement on the platform.
Google Now Lets Minors Request Their Photos Be Removed from Search
Google now allows minors, those under the age of 18, to request that images of themselves be removed from Search results. Originally announced in August, the feature is now widely available.
Instagram Will Require All Users to Share Their Birthdays
In an effort to protect the experiences of young people, Instagram has announced that starting in the next couple of weeks, all users will be required to provide the company with a birthdate in order to continue using the app.
Apple Shares How its Photo-Scanning System Is Protected Against Abuse
Apple has acknowledged that the way it announced its plans to automatically scan iPhone photo libraries to protect children from abusive content may have introduced "confusion" and explains how it is designed to prevent abuse by authoritarian governments.