States Try to Convince Supreme Court to Keep Laws Regulating Social Media
Supreme Court
States Try to Convince Supreme Court to Keep Laws Regulating Social Media
2024-02-26 22:29:52
by Tom Ramstack

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court seemed skeptical Monday of two state laws that could redraw social media companies’ right to decide what sort of content is displayed on their platforms. The tech companies say the Florida and Texas laws that... Read More

New York City Sues Social Media Platforms for ‘Fueling’ Mental Health Crisis
Mental Health
New York City Sues Social Media Platforms for ‘Fueling’ Mental Health Crisis
2024-02-14 22:42:46
by Dan McCue

NEW YORK — The city of New York and its health and education departments sued five social media platforms on Wednesday, saying they need to be held accountable for fueling a mental health crisis among youths across the nation. The... Read More

Conservatives Tell Congress ‘Zuckerbucks’ Threaten the Integrity of Elections
Political News
Conservatives Tell Congress ‘Zuckerbucks’ Threaten the Integrity of Elections
2024-02-07 21:40:58
by Tom Ramstack

WASHINGTON — A conservative public policy advocate told a congressional panel Wednesday that charitable grants to fund local elections pose a risk of shifting votes toward liberal special interests. “We have allowed the private takeover of government election offices by... Read More

Justice Dept. Accuses Real Estate Developers of Taking Advantage of Immigrants
Justice
Justice Dept. Accuses Real Estate Developers of Taking Advantage of Immigrants
2023-12-21 16:41:42
by Tom Ramstack

HOUSTON — The Justice Department on Wednesday sued real estate developers behind a large housing complex outside of Houston the government has accused of taking advantage of immigrants. Colony Ridge promises the buyers secure housing but the Justice Department says... Read More

Whistleblower Says Meta Execs Knew Social Media Can Harm Kids
Mental Health
Whistleblower Says Meta Execs Knew Social Media Can Harm Kids
2023-11-07 21:13:18
by Tom Ramstack

WASHINGTON — A whistleblower former employee of Meta Platforms Inc. told a Senate panel Tuesday that top executives of the social media giant knew their Facebook platform harmed young people but covered it up to avoid interfering with their profits.... Read More

Justices Lift Restrictions on Biden Admin Contacts With Social Media Companies
Supreme Court
Justices Lift Restrictions on Biden Admin Contacts With Social Media Companies
2023-10-23 15:37:45
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Friday lifted a pair of lower court rulings that barred the Biden administration from communicating with social media companies while litigation over the government’s effort to thwart misinformation online winds its way through... Read More

As New Term Starts, Challenge to ‘Chevron’ Stars on High Court’s Docket
Supreme Court
As New Term Starts, Challenge to ‘Chevron’ Stars on High Court’s Docket
2023-09-29 18:50:35
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court returns to the bench on Monday to begin a term that will include major cases on gun rights, the Americans With Disabilities Act, social media use by public officials, racial gerrymandering in South Carolina, and... Read More

Young People Lobby Congress for More Online Protections
Social Media
Young People Lobby Congress for More Online Protections
2023-07-20 14:44:03
by Kennedy Thomason

WASHINGTON — Youth advocates made their presence felt on Capitol Hill this week, planting signs on the west lawn of the Capitol and visiting lawmakers, in pursuit of greater social media protections for youth.  Design It For Us, a coalition... Read More

Appeals Court Stays Order Limiting Feds Contact With Social Media Firms
Social Media
Appeals Court Stays Order Limiting Feds Contact With Social Media Firms
2023-07-14 20:30:11
by Dan McCue

NEW ORLEANS — A federal appeals court on Friday afternoon stayed until further notice a lower court ruling that dramatically curbed the Biden administration’s ability to talk to social media companies due to free speech concerns. The decision by the... Read More

Judge Blocks Biden Administration From Influencing Social Media
Social Media
Judge Blocks Biden Administration From Influencing Social Media
2023-07-05 17:25:12
by Tom Ramstack

NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge in Louisiana on Tuesday ordered the Biden administration and federal agencies to stop trying to influence posts on social media platforms. The president and some members of Congress have called for a regulatory crackdown... Read More

Surgeon General Warns Social Media Poses ‘Profound Risk’ to Young People
Mental Health
Surgeon General Warns Social Media Poses ‘Profound Risk’ to Young People
2023-05-24 17:48:44
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — While social media use may be beneficial to some people, the U.S. surgeon general warned Tuesday that not enough is being done to fully understand or address the likely harm it does to the mental health and well-being... Read More

High Court to Decide When Officials Can Block People on Social Media
Supreme Court
High Court to Decide When Officials Can Block People on Social Media
2023-04-24 16:04:41
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to determine whether the First Amendment protects social media users from being blocked on the personal pages of government officials. Today’s decision consolidates two cases, one a lawsuit brought against two members... Read More

GOP Bill Seeks to Stop Alleged Social Media Censorship
Congress
GOP Bill Seeks to Stop Alleged Social Media Censorship
2023-01-12 21:38:49
by Tom Ramstack

WASHINGTON — House Republicans put more pressure on social media companies Thursday by introducing a bill that would block the Biden administration from trying to remove certain kinds of information from their websites. Republicans who introduced the bill said they... Read More

Mining Social Media Provides Insight Into Mental Health and Treatment Outcomes
Health
Mining Social Media Provides Insight Into Mental Health and Treatment Outcomes
2022-09-28 19:28:53
by Dan McCue

DUBLIN, Ireland — Real-world evidence drawn from social media can provide treatment providers with enhanced insights into how a patient’s mental health will impact the management of chronic conditions such as gout, a new study says. The research was funded... Read More

Building the Market Solution: ‘Clean Social Media’
Social Media
Building the Market Solution: ‘Clean Social Media’
2022-09-07 20:35:29
by Madeline Hughes

WASHINGTON — Nearly two decades on social media and the issues of misinformation and harassment are glaring, according to Appu Esthose Suresh, the founder and chief executive of Pixstory. He’s one of the many social media company founders working to... Read More

Social Media Companies Questioned About ‘Civil War’ Posts
Congress
Social Media Companies Questioned About ‘Civil War’ Posts
2022-08-19 19:09:28
by Madeline Hughes

WASHINGTON — Eight of the top social media companies received letters Friday asking about posts related to a “civil war,” which have increased in the wake of the FBI search of Donald Trump's home, Mar-A-Lago. Top Democrats on the House... Read More

House Chief Administrative Officer Issues TikTok Advisory
Social Media
House Chief Administrative Officer Issues TikTok Advisory
2022-08-18 14:34:45
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — The chief administrative officer of the House of Representatives has issued a cyber advisory to Capitol Hill staff on TikTok, labeling it a “high risk” app due to the Chinese-owned platform’s lack of transparency in how it protects... Read More

Gun Applicants in NY Will Have to Hand Over Social Accounts
Guns
Gun Applicants in NY Will Have to Hand Over Social Accounts

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — As missed warning signs pile up in investigations of mass killings, New York state is rolling out a novel strategy to screen applicants for gun permits. People seeking to carry concealed handguns will be required to... Read More

HHS to Fund Center Focused on Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health
Mental Health
HHS to Fund Center Focused on Social Media Use and Youth Mental Health
2022-06-01 14:24:16
by Alexa Hornbeck

WASHINGTON — The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will soon direct millions in funds towards examining the impact of social media use on the mental health of teens and... Read More

Supreme Court Blocks Texas Social Media Censorship Law
Supreme Court
Supreme Court Blocks Texas Social Media Censorship Law
2022-05-31 23:11:35
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — Social media companies scored a huge win late Tuesday after the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to temporarily block a Texas law that would have barred them from taking action on hate speech and disinformation. NetChoice v. Paxton... Read More

Appeals Court Hands Gov. DeSantis a Loss
Social Media
Appeals Court Hands Gov. DeSantis a Loss
2022-05-24 19:07:12
by Madeline Hughes

ATLANTA, Ga. —  A Florida law intended to punish social media companies from allegedly barring conservative politicians from their platforms is unconstitutional, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday. “Put simply, with minor exceptions, the government can’t tell... Read More

Elon Musk Seals Deal to Buy Twitter for $44 Billion
Business
Elon Musk Seals Deal to Buy Twitter for $44 Billion
2022-04-25 18:43:45
by Madeline Hughes

WASHINGTON — After a weekend of intense negotiations, Elon Musk has clinched a deal to become the new owner of Twitter, after convincing the company’s board to accept his $44 billion takeover proposal. Under the terms of the deal, Twitter... Read More

Dwight Chapin, the ‘President’s Man,’ Talks Nixon, Ukraine and More
Books
Dwight Chapin, the 'President's Man,' Talks Nixon, Ukraine and More
2022-03-07 21:29:15
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — One of my late mother’s favorite stories of my childhood involved my first “vote” in a federal election. It was the fall of 1968 and I was in kindergarten and our teacher, Mrs. Blumberger, decided that in addition... Read More

Twitter Algorithms Amplify Conservative Politics
Social Media
Twitter Algorithms Amplify Conservative Politics
2022-01-11 22:23:41
by Reece Nations

SAN ANTONIO — Twitter content curated by its personalization algorithms amplifies the mainstream political right more than the left, according to a joint study conducted by the platform’s transparency and accountability team. Researchers undertook a large-scale experiment that analyzed millions... Read More

DEA Takes Action Against the Sales of Fake Fentanyl Pills on Social Media
Law Enforcement
DEA Takes Action Against the Sales of Fake Fentanyl Pills on Social Media
2021-12-21 20:41:59
by Alexa Hornbeck

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued its first public safety alert in six years in an attempt to stop the sale of deadly, fake fentanyl pills being sold on social media and e-commerce platforms.  “The amount of fentanyl... Read More

Devin Nunes to Quit Congress to Become Trump Social Media Co. CEO
Political News
Devin Nunes to Quit Congress to Become Trump Social Media Co. CEO
2021-12-06 22:45:16
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., will resign from Congress at the end of the month to become chief executive officer of former President Donald Trump’s fledgling social media entity, the company announced Monday. "Congressman Devin Nunes is a fighter... Read More

Justice Dept. Intervenes Against Trump In Lawsuit Against Social Media Giants
Litigation
Justice Dept. Intervenes Against Trump In Lawsuit Against Social Media Giants
2021-11-23 21:20:56
by Tom Ramstack

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department intervened this week in a lawsuit former President Donald Trump filed against social media companies Facebook, Twitter and Google’s YouTube. Trump accuses the companies of violating his First Amendment right to free speech by banning... Read More

Pixstory Striving to Address the Need for User Safety On Social Media
Social Media
Pixstory Striving to Address the Need for User Safety On Social Media
2021-11-23 16:47:06
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON - Social media, once a venue for pet pictures and catching up with friends from high school, has turned toxic in many cases. And it’s almost impossible to escape the most divisive of political commentary. Among those trying to... Read More

Momentum Building for Gosar Censure Over Tweeted Video
Congress
Momentum Building for Gosar Censure Over Tweeted Video
2021-11-11 15:23:09
by Dan McCue

WASHINGTON — Nearly 30 Democrats have signed on so far to support a resolution to censure Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., for posting an anime-style video that shows him killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. and threatening President Joe Biden. “For that... Read More

Social Media Faces New Regulations as it is Blamed for Inciting Extremists
Social Media
Social Media Faces New Regulations as it is Blamed for Inciting Extremists
2021-10-28 19:17:13
by Tom Ramstack

WASHINGTON — Few lawmakers or witnesses disputed whether the government should crack down on social media companies like Facebook during a Senate hearing Thursday, only how it should be done. The Senate is concerned that social media amplifies threats of... Read More

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