From the “sounded-like-extortion-to-us department,” T. Keung Hui reports: Triangle school districts are trying to get more information about how they’ll be impacted by Google’s plan to change access to Google Search in schools. Google set off a firestorm this week when it initially announced that it would turn off access to Google Search for schools...

We missed posting this during Digital Parenting Week, but it is still excellent advice. On October 29, Paige Collins of EFF wrote: In today’s digital world, the internet is an essential resource for young people to access information, explore community, and find themselves. But we know that this often comes alongside fears of experiencing online...

Jesse Jacobs reports: K-12 school district administrators now have the ability to restrict artificial intelligence features directly within Google Search across student devices. Digital safety company Lightspeed Systems introduced Google Search AI Controls within its web-filtering platform, enabling schools to block Google AI Overview summaries and its conversational AI Mode. […] Under the new tool,...

If you are a parent or grandparent of young or teenage kids and don’t know about “764” and the serious risk it poses to youth, you should read the entire press release—Dissent. October 9 – Prasan Nepal, 21, also known by the online moniker “Trippy,” of High Point, North Carolina, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy...

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Lindsey Tonsager, Jenna Zhang, and Irene Kim of Covington and Burling summarize some recent bills signed into law. From their article: Companion Chatbots. Adam’s Law (SB 1119) requires operators of a “companion chatbot” to determine the age of users consistent with the Digital Age Assurance Act and imposes a series of obligations before making a...

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Diana Novak Jones reports: Meta Platforms agreed to pay a maximum $16.68 billion and make major changes to Facebook and Instagram to resolve claims by states across the U.S. that the company designed those platforms to addict children, misled consumers about their safety and improperly collected children’s personal data. The settlement resolves claims brought by 29...

August 21 – Today, the Department of Justice announced a $400 million settlement with TikTok, ByteDance, and affiliated entities (TikTok) resolving litigation concerning compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and its implementing regulations (COPPA). Under the settlement, TikTok will pay $300 million immediately and an additional $100 million upon entry of an order...

Jadzia Pierce and Virginie de France of Covington and Burling write: On August 14, 2026, the French Constitutional Council (the “Constitutional Council”) struck down Article 1 of France’s Act to protect minors from the risks posed by the use of social media (the “Act”), which would have barred minors under the age of fifteen from...

David Stauss writes: On August 11, 2026, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the New Jersey Kids Code Act (A 4015), which adopts the New Jersey Age-Appropriate Design Code, into law. The privacy advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) previously applauded the law’s passage, which it described as protecting “kids online by prohibiting invasive data practices,...

Alexander Martin reports: A 20-year-old man was sentenced Monday to two years in prison for coercing more than 100 girls worldwide into sexual and self-harm activity using platforms such as Snapchat, Telegram and Discord, British authorities said. Justin Swaddle, of Leeds in northern England, targeted 117 female victims aged 13 to 17, according to the...

Lindsey Tonsager, Jenna Zhang, and Irene Kim of Covington and Burling write: On July 28, 2026, the New York Office of the Attorney General released final rules (the “Rules”) implementing the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, which goes into effect on January 25, 2027. The SAFE for Kids Act requires online “addictive social media...

Lindsey Tonsager, Jenna Zhang, and Natalie Maas of Covington and Burling write: Consistent with recent years, 2026 has proved to be a busy year for children and teens’ privacy legislation. This post recaps notable developments and trends thus far in 2026. Our mid-year and end-of-year recaps for 2025 can be found here and here. App Marketplace Laws Two...