Fairplay

❌ New York City says NO to AI in k-8 schools! As our Campaign Director David Monahan notes, the policy is “a step in the right direction” that nonetheless “raises serious concerns.” Find out why:

Mamdani to New York City kids: No AI until high school | Fortune NYC, which boasts the largest school system in the nation, issued a one-year moratorium on AI in city elementary and middle schools.

🎉Exciting news: The 2nd-largest public school district in the country has banned students from using GenAI on school devices! 🚫🤖

It's now time for schools everywhere to follow suit! Read our full statement 🔗
https://fairplayforkids.org/welcoming-la-schools-ban-on-student-genai-use-on-school-devices/

Following Meta's $17 billion online safety settlement, a company official told reporters that federal legislation "would have been the best answer" to protect kids online.

That's the exact argument child-safety advocates have made about the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) for four years, while Meta spent millions lobbying against it.

That's why Parents for Safe Online Spaces members sent Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg a letter asking him to act on his own company's stated position.

The message is simple: publicly support KOSA, and help move it through Congress before this session ends.

🔗 Read the full story from Mashable. ➡️ https://mashable.com/tech/mark-zuckerberg-meta-urged-to-support-kosa

📝 STATEMENT: We agree with our partners in the AI Moratorium for NYC Schools coalition that New York's new AI-in-schools policy, while a step in the right direction, raises serious concerns.

Read our full statement 🔗
https://fairplayforkids.org/statement-on-nyc-public.../

Meta's settlement with the state attorneys general has been all over the news the past few days. And in many of these stories, Fairplay has been quoted, thanking the AGs for standing up for kids, but pointing out how the settlement falls well short of the protections families need.

In this Fortune article, we express our disappointment that the settlement "does not turn off by default recommendation algorithms that connect kids to predators and send young people down dangerous rabbit holes.”

“In general, the settlement is too focused on offering parents tools rather than restricting harmful features ... " we say. "And even the financial penalties—while the biggest Meta has ever faced—are not large enough to fundamentally change Meta’s relentless targeting of youth.”

Stories like these illustrate that Fairplay is a valued and trusted source of information when it comes to kids' online safety. They also demonstrate that we are indefatigable when it comes to protecting kids from Big Tech.

As we told Fortune, what families really need is the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA, S.1748), a strong, bipartisan bill that will force tech companies to make their products safe for children by design.

KOSA already has support from over three-quarters of US Senators. We need to get this bill voted on and passed when the Senate is back in session next month.

Please check out the Fortune article, and please stay tuned for ways you can help make KOSA law this year!

Meta's $18 billion settlement leaves out the child protections New Mexico already won at trial, its Attorney General says | Fortune Raúl Torrez said New Mexico secured stronger protections against AI chatbots and predators than the national settlement. Child safety experts agree.

📢The State AGs' Settlement with Meta is a watershed moment, but it shows there's still a long way to go to protect kids on social media. It also underscores the need for the Kids Online Safety Act's duty of care.

✏️Read our statement: https://fairplayforkids.org/statement-on-29-states-settling-lawsuit-with-meta/

"For $400 million TikTok has bought its way out of protecting children's privacy. Not only does this get rid of their old obligations through their 2019 order, it doesn't impose any injunctive relief. It's shocking what a sweetheart deal TikTok got."

📢Fairplay Executive Director Josh Golin on the DOJ's settlement with . Read the full article:

TikTok settles US DOJ's COPPA suit for $400m after 2024 offer of $1bn | MLex | Specialist news and analysis on legal risk and regulation TikTok on Friday settled its lawsuit with the US Department of Justice for alleged violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act for $400 million — a reduction, MLex has learned, from a 2024 settlement offer by the company of $1 billion.

⚠️BREAKING: The DOJ announced a $400 million settlement with TikTok & ByteDance, and it’s a huge disappointment 👎

👀Read our full statement now: https://fairplayforkids.org/statement-on-the-dojs-400-million-settlement-with-tiktok-bytedance/

💭Curious about what’s happening with the Meta trial?
🎧Listen as Fairplay’s Policy Counsel, Haley Hinkle breaks down the latest lawsuits facing the social media giant on Rising Up With Sonali!

🔗https://risingupwithsonali.com/lawsuits-take-meta-to-task-over-childrens-wellbeing/

⏰TONIGHT! Join us for Part 1: EdTech, AI, and Privatization at 7PM ET! 🤖

Sign up using the QR code below ⬇️