Results for: Child Protection

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has approved a bill aimed at regulating how online social media platforms interact with children, despite concerns that its provisions are similar to those in state laws being blocked in federal courts or before the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill, which passed nearly along party lines, would require social media platforms to allow users to report “hateful conduct,” get parental consent from users under 18, and prohibit “data mining” of users under 18. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled state Senate, and the nation’s highest court may soon decide whether state-level provisions like the ones in the bill can be enforced.

The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, is investigating OnlyFans for failing to implement adequate safeguards to prevent underage users from accessing pornographic content on the platform. Concerns have arisen about the completeness and accuracy of information provided by OnlyFans’ parent company, Fenix International Limited, in response to Ofcom’s requests. Despite using age-assurance measures, a reporting error with the provider, Yoti, may have compromised their effectiveness. The company claims the threshold was always above the legal age of 18, and has since rectified the issue. Ofcom is conducting the investigation under existing regulations (Communications Act 2003), as new rules under the Online Safety Act will take effect later this year.

The Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB) has proposed a landmark Child Marriage Restraint Bill, aiming to raise the minimum marriage age for girls in Punjab to 18 years. The bill aims to combat the alarmingly high prevalence of child marriage in the province, with 18% of women aged 20-24 wed before turning 18. The modernized bill replaces the outdated Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929, prioritizing the health, safety, and well-being of young girls.

The EU has effectively quashed a TikTok feature that was deemed “toxic” and “addictive.” TikTok Lite’s reward-to-watch feature, which allowed users to earn rewards by watching and liking videos, has been suspended. This action follows a bill signed by President Biden forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations or face a ban. The EU Commission expressed concerns about the potential for addictive behavior in children, prompting TikTok to voluntarily suspend the rewards function while addressing raised concerns.

On February 7, 2021, 16-year-old Sammy Chapman was killed in his Santa Monica home after purchasing drugs on social media. Now, his parents are fighting to pass Sammy’s Law, which would require social media platforms to allow integration with third-party monitoring software. The bill has passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is one step closer to becoming law.

Australian Senator Jacqui Lambie has vehemently criticized Elon Musk for refusing to remove graphic content related to the Wakeley church stabbing from his social media platform, X. She condemned Musk’s actions as “disgusting” and called for his imprisonment, emphasizing the need for regulations to prevent such incidents. Lambie believes Musk’s refusal to comply with takedown orders from the eSafety Commissioner demonstrates a lack of social responsibility and a disregard for the well-being of users.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed all airlines to ensure that children under 12 years old are seated with at least one of their parents or guardians during flights. This move comes after reports of children being separated from their families during travel. Airlines must keep a record of these seat assignments.

The European Union (EU) has launched a formal investigation into TikTok Lite, a rewards-based video-viewing app, due to concerns over potential risks to children. The EU demands more information from TikTok about the app’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) and has warned of suspending addictive features. The Commission is worried about the app’s endless stream of videos and addictive design features without proper risk assessment.