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Connect x Protect

@connectxprotect.bsky.social
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Protect Teens. Preserve Privacy.

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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 14h
#ICYMI: Online safety and privacy are not competing goals. In the first installment of our #SafetySeries, Connect x Protect executive director Terence Samuel laid out the principles that should guide the online safety debate. Read more: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...
linkedin.com
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Keeping kids safe online is a widely shared, bipartisan goal. But deciding how to do this has quickly gotten complicated. Josh Tabish (@progresschamber.org) joined AEI's Shane Tews to discuss online safety, age assurance, privacy & the road ahead. Worth a listen 🎧👇 www.aei.org/multimedia/h...
aei.org
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
How do we make social media safer for young people without creating new privacy risks or unintended consequences? A new report from ICLE digs into that question and the limits of broad social media regulation. Read more: laweconcenter.org/resources/th...
laweconcenter.org
The Forbidden Feed: Adolescent Well-Being and the Limits of Social-Media Regulation - International Center for Law & Economics
Executive Summary Smartphones and social media are now central to adolescent life, prompting understandable concern about teens’ mental health, sleep, school performance, and compulsive use. . . .
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
New research from the VA government highlights an important flaw of online age checks: To figure out who is a minor, platforms may need to collect & process more data from everyone, not just kids. Real privacy concerns from the people behind the policy: dls.virginia.gov/commissions/...
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Reposted by Connect x Protect
Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 22/09/2026
Protecting children online matters—but age verification is not how you do it. Read our analysis of the new EU Kids Act, which is a threat to the open internet and our privacy eff.org/deeplinks/2...
eff.org
EU Kids Act Won't Keep the Internet Accountable and Trustworthy
The EU Commission draft law to restrict young people’s access to the internet that it presented last week will come at a high cost: it will make internet access contingent on age, expand the use of
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Starting tomorrow, we’ll be tuning in to @cdt.org’s Future of Speech Online conference. We’re glad to see age verification, privacy & online safety on the agenda. #FOSO2026 cdt.org/events/2026-...
cdt.org
2026 Future of Speech Online Conference - Center for Democracy and Technology
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
On Constitution Day, Pt. 2 in our #SafetySeries reminds us that protecting kids shouldn’t mean compromising the fundamental rights we’re celebrating. Terry Samuel explores how #ageverification could impact privacy, free expression and anonymous access to information: shorturl.at/pmTib
shorturl.at
Freedom, Not Fear: First Amendment Concerns in Age Verification Regimes
Freedom, Not Fear: First Amendment Concerns in Age Verification Regimes Today is Constitution Day, 239 years since a group of 39 men in Philadelphia attached their signatures to a document that would ...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Age verification laws offer a false sense of security, especially as tech-savvy teens find ways around them. In Townhall, Bojan Lazarevski (Young Voices) urges lawmakers to consider tools that empower parents while preserving privacy for all. townhall.com/columnists/b...
townhall.com
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
🚨 A reported breach involving millions of IDs reminds us: collecting sensitive personal information creates real risk. Online safety solutions should protect people without requiring more personal data than necessary. Read more from @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/tech/securit...
nbcnews.com
FBI investigates alleged breach of IDs after hackers claim Hegseth driver’s license
Cybercriminals claim to have stolen digital copies of 160 million licenses and ID cards from an ID verification company, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s.
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Reposted by Connect x Protect
OpenMedia @openmedia.org · 11/09/2026
Under #BillC34, the so-called "Safe Social Media Act," online platforms could require much + invasive age verification or estimation to prove you're 16+ in 🇨🇦 🦝 We don’t have to accept #ageverification on every online platform we use! 👉 Message your MP to fix Bill C 34: openmedia.org/BillC34-bsky
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Worth a read from Family IT Guy: A resource that simplifies the answer to the question, "Will this Meta settlement reduce harm to kids?" familyitguy.com/meta-settlem...
familyitguy.com
Will this Meta settlement reduce harm to kids? | Family IT Guy
What Meta's 2026 child-harm settlement actually changes for kids, and what it leaves on.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Ahead of Constitution Day on 9/17, we're highlighting #FirstAmendment concerns with age verification. On the @cato.org blog, Jennifer Huddleston argues that these policies create new threats to free expression for all users. www.cato.org/blog/social-...
cato.org
Social Media Laws Could End Anonymous Speech Online Without Making Anyone Safer
The answer to keeping children safe online lies with parents and communities supporting young people through a vulnerable period — not with policymakers turning the entire internet into an ID checkpoi...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
In @techcrunch.com, @amanda.omg.lol breaks down what Meta's recent $18B settlement with 29 states means for kids' safety, and why it has reignited concerns about age verification tech. techcrunch.com/2026/08/26/m...
techcrunch.com
Meta's $18B child-safety deal hinges on age-verification tech that doesn't work well | TechCrunch
The historic settlement reignites ongoing concern around how age-verification technology puts privacy at risk.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
“Zero-Knowledge Proofs” can prove a user is 18+, without revealing the info behind that proof. But that doesn’t eliminate risks like tracking, cyberattacks and centralized control. @eff.org breaks down why more privacy-conscious tech doesn’t fix all flaws www.eff.org/deeplinks/20...
eff.org
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
#ICYMI: Last week saw a major development in kids’ online safety: Meta reached a tentative $17B settlement with several U.S. states that would introduce new safeguards for young people on its platforms. More in @politico.com: www.politico.com/news/2026/08...
politico.com
Meta agrees to pay $17B, adopt kids’ safety features to resolve states’ lawsuits
The tentative agreement is a massive concession from the tech giant.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Protecting kids online shouldn’t mean sacrificing privacy and security. In the first installment of our #SafetySeries, executive director Terry Samuel makes the case for shared responsibility and solutions that keep young people safe. Read more: www.linkedin.com/pulse/protec...
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Connect x Protect (@ConnectxProtect) on X
Protecting kids online shouldn’t mean sacrificing privacy and security. In the first installment of our #SafetySeries, @terencesamuel makes the case for shared responsibility and solutions that keep ...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
With Texas’s disputed app store age verification bill in effect, Erika Sanders (@ncacensorship.bsky.social) & Peter Steffensen (SMU Law School) explain how it could threaten online speech & privacy while undermining kids' safety. Read more in @dallasnews.com www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm...
dallasnews.com
Texas App Store Act goes too far
Fifth Circuit shouldn’t let government infringe on online speech.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Safety and privacy must go hand in hand. 🤝 In Observer, Evin McMullen examines the cybersecurity risks of mandatory age verification—as a patchwork of laws drives adoption of the most invasive requirements. Read more: observer.com/2026/08/age-...
observer.com
Age Verification Is Building the Internet’s Next Identity Layer
The rapidly expanding push for mandatory online age verification is really about the future of digital identity. Billions Network’s Evin McMullen argues that the architecture chosen for age verific…
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Australia’s social media ban offers a warning for policymakers worldwide. Three months in, 81.5% of under-16s are still using age-restricted platforms, as age checks are easily bypassed and enforcement struggles to keep pace. More in Tech Times: www.techtimes.com/articles/323...
techtimes.com
Australia Social Media Ban Fails Own Evaluation: 25 Nations Already Copying Model
Australia social media ban results: first formal evaluation by the eSafety Commissioner finds 81 percent of children under 16 still using restricted platforms three months after the world-first law to...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
⚠️ Europe’s age verification push offers a cautionary tale. For RealClearMarkets, Norm Singleton explains why one-size-fits-all restrictions undermine parental choice and overlook parents’ role in helping their children navigate social media responsibly. www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/202...
realclearmarkets.com
Destroying Online Privacy Will Not Protect the Children
On July 12th,, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a statement calling for a European Union (EU) wide identity verification system for all social media users. Like many infringem
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
As policymakers across all 50 states explore new policy solutions to protect kids online, researchers at UC Davis have created a public database that tracks proposed and enacted policies in this evolving landscape. More in @techxplore.com.web.brid.gy techxplore.com/news/2026-08...
techxplore.com
All 50 states have introduced bills to regulate digital media for kids. A new database tracks them
As of March 2026, every U.S. state had introduced at least one bill seeking to regulate social media or other digital platforms for people younger than 18. The wave of legislation would be difficult f...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
#NEW: As a new school year begins, the Federal Trade Commission recently launched Youville, a free resource helping kids ages 8–12 build digital literacy skills through engaging activities on privacy, online safety and digital citizenship. 💻📱 consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-ale...
x.com
Connect x Protect (@ConnectxProtect) on X
#NEW: As a new school year begins, the @FTC recently launched Youville, a free resource helping kids ages 8–12 build digital literacy skills through engaging activities on privacy, online safety and d...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
As students head back to school, @terencesamuel, @ckoopman and @atilamrac consider how strong partnerships between families and educators can ensure technology supports creativity, critical thinking, and personalized learning. Full video: youtu.be/CIgceFrY0UY
youtu.be
Connect x Protect Webinar: How Technology Is Reshaping Childhood
YouTube video by Connect x Protect
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
“Should your computer know your age before you can use it?” In @PCMag, @chrisbhoffman examines how age verification mandates could push operating systems to collect sensitive personal information, threatening online privacy and anonymity. www.pcmag.com/explainers/y...
pcmag.com
Live in One of These States? Your Computer Might Require an Age Check Soon
Three US states have passed laws requiring operating systems to verify your age before you can use your computer, and Congress is considering similar legislation. Here's everything we know so far.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
As states consider new ways to protect kids online, families need to know what's changing. Our 2026 legislative recap highlights key developments across the US and explains how age verification could affect privacy, security, and apps people use daily. connectxprotect.org/wp-content/u...
connectxprotect.org
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Worth a read: Graham Dufault (Association for Competitive Technology) examines how the push for #ageverification legislation undermines platform accountability. He also highlights an alternative that preserves parental choice and robust parental controls 👇 www.realclearmarkets.com/articles/202...
realclearmarkets.com
When Meta Wants Accountability, Watch Your Wallet
Earlier this year, juries in California and New Mexico returned significant verdicts against Meta for harms inflicted on children through its platforms. Within hours, some supporters of the App Store
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
🎤 "People can't speak freely online, and their most sensitive stuff is now tied to their identity.” In a new conversation with Terry Samuel, @senatorshoshana.bsky.social (Abundance Institute) imagines the worst-case scenarios of age verification regimes. Full video: youtu.be/gOHom1U9iz4?...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
#ICYMI: Our recent @edweek.org panel with Terry Samuel, Christopher Koopman (Abundance Institute) and Carmalita Seitz (ISTE) highlighted why policy must empower parents to play an active role in their children’s digital lives. Watch the full conversation: youtu.be/CIgceFrY0UY
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The global spread of age verification laws is fueling growing concerns about online privacy and anonymity. @proton.me's interactive map tracks where these laws are advancing and how they are being implemented. More in @techradar.com: www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
techradar.com
'The death of privacy online' — Proton launches interactive map to show age verification laws are spreading fast
The VPN provider has always maintained that these laws mark the end of online privacy
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
How can we protect kids online while also safeguarding privacy, free expression, and the open internet? Terry Samuel sat down with @senatorshoshana.bsky.social of the Abundance Institute to discuss the policy challenges and tradeoffs shaping today's debate. Watch here: youtu.be/gOHom1U9iz4?...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
#NEW: American Action Forum's @nkrosse.bsky.social outlines how broad age verification mandates redirect resources away from ongoing platform safety improvements while creating new privacy risks for all users. www.americanactionforum.org/insight/prot...
americanactionforum.org
Protecting Kids Online: Government Mandates vs. Market Solutions - AAF
Executive Summary As kids’ online safety remains a priority for policymakers and parents alike, lawmakers have introduced a number of legislative proposals that would change standards for how much dig...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Our new one-pager recaps major youth safety developments from the 2026 state sessions. Importantly, it also outlines the key questions these proposals raise for families, including privacy, security, and the collection of personal information. connectxprotect.org/wp-content/u...
x.com
Connect x Protect (@ConnectxProtect) on X
Our new one-pager recaps major youth safety developments from the 2026 state sessions. Importantly, it also outlines the key questions these proposals raise for families, including privacy, security, ...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
#NEW: @internetsociety.bsky.social’s @johnperrino.com explains how app store age verification requirements invite new privacy, security, and accessibility risks while doing little to improve safety—and recommends less invasive, more effective approaches. www.internetsociety.org/blog/2026/07...
internetsociety.org
Safety Over Bans: Internet Society Challenges App Store Age Verification - Internet Society
The Internet Society led an amicus brief filing on a case challenging Texas age verification requirements for app stores.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
#NEWS: In The European, Lionel Eddy warns Europe’s age verification app could normalize digital ID checks across 27 countries, all while raising unresolved privacy and cybersecurity concerns for countless users. the-european.eu/story-62801/...
the-european.eu
Could Europe’s age verification app put citizens’ personal data at risk?
Lionel Eddy examines whether the EU’s new age verification app can protect children online without compromising privacy, security and digital trust.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Age verification laws don't just limit access to social media. As Straight Arrow News reports, they can block access to everyday tools from fitness to library apps. Families shouldn't have to sacrifice access to essential resources to keep kids safe online. san.com/cc/from-libr...
san.com
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
In Independent Women's Voice, mother & digital strategist Chloe Anagnos contrasts two kids' safety proposals under consideration in Congress to highlight that protecting kids online doesn't have to come at the expense of privacy. www.independentwomen.com/2026/07/07/p...
independentwomen.com
Parents, Not Platforms: Different Approaches to Protect Kids Online | Independent Women
the Parents Over Platforms Act (POPA) and the App Store Accountability Act (ASAA), both seek to address online child safety, but they take very different approaches
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Reposted by Connect x Protect
ACLU @aclu.org · 14/07/2026
The government shouldn't force us to fork over our personal information to private companies in order to access social media. We filed an amicus brief urging the courts to block Texas' new law and protect our privacy online.
chron.com
Bluesky asks Texas users to verify their ages, citing new law
"Why do you need age verification on a site where everyone is 38?"
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
#ICYMI: @futureofprivacy.bsky.social hosted a meaningful conversation on the role of personalization to support relevant, age-appropriate experiences online while protecting youth privacy, safety, and well-being. Watch the full video now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaoB...
youtube.com
Personalization and Youth Online: Assessing Benefits, Risks, and Safeguards
YouTube video by FutureofPrivacy
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
#NEWS: As @nebpublicmedia.bsky.social reports, a federal judge ruled that multiple components of a Nebraska law aimed at protecting children online likely violate the First Amendment and blocked them from going into effect in July. Full story: nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news...
nebraskapublicmedia.org
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
We're encouraged to see @ncacensorship.bsky.social argue that blanket app store age verification raises important constitutional concerns while failing to distinguish between harmless and harmful apps. Read the full brief: ncac.org/news/texas-a...
ncac.org
NCAC Urges Fifth Circuit to Uphold Block on Texas App Store Age Verification Law
NCAC filed an amicus brief arguing that Texas's SB 2420, which requires age verification for all app store users, should remain blocked.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
"It is an escalation ladder where they start by scanning your face, then require ID, and eventually start scanning your chats." Recent global developments have experts calling for safer, privacy-preserving approaches to online safety. More in @techradar.com: www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-priv...
techradar.com
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
With summer in full swing, here are some tips to help families build healthy digital habits: ☀️ Set screen-free times & spaces 💬 Have open conversations about online experiences 🔒 Audit privacy & safety settings 📱 Use parental controls that fit your needs
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
🎤 CxP executive director Terry Samuel recently highlighted a key flaw of app store age verification: "If you have to age verify at the app store level, it means everybody needs to do it, and it doesn’t really solve the problem of protecting kids from harmful stuff on the internet."
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
What happens when age verification goes wrong? ➡️ Sensitive family data becomes a 🎯. ➡️ Teens bypass restrictions and move to unsafe spaces. ➡️ Anonymous access to mental health and support resources is lost. ➡️ Harmful algorithms stay the same. More: connectxprotect.org/wp-content/u...
connectxprotect.org
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
As Congress debates a child safety deal, advocates like @cdt.org warn: “All users, including kids, deserve strong privacy protections, not mandates to hand over more and more personal details whenever they go online.” shorturl.at/C8fTT via @biometricupdate.bsky.social
shorturl.at
US child safety bill reignites debate over age verification | Biometric Update
House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders have reached a bipartisan agreement on legislation intended to strengthen online protections for children.
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
“Banning minors from...interpersonal networks would not only violate their right to free expression, it would teach them the First Amendment doesn’t really mean what it says.” @thefireorg.bsky.social explains why several age verification bills face legal challenges. www.fire.org/research-lea...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
In Security Boulevard, lawyer and computer security & privacy expert Mark Rasch explains why Texas’ App Store Age Accountability Act could expand surveillance and erode privacy without effectively addressing the harms children face online. securityboulevard.com/2026/06/the-...
securityboulevard.com
The Internet is Not a Can of Peas: The Problem With Texas’ App Store Age Verification Law
Texas has joined the growing list of states trying to solve a real problem with a dangerous tool. Senate Bill 2420, the Texas App Store Accountability Act, is intended to protect children from inappro...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
#NEWS from @theverge.com: Nearly a million passports and photo IDs were left unprotected on the public internet Recent data breaches prove that insecure systems storing sensitive personal info are a treasure trove for bad actors. More: www.theverge.com/tech/947157/...
theverge.com
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
#ICYMI: In the Standard Examiner, Former Rep. Chris Stewart makes the case for the Parents Over Platforms Act, a privacy-preserving approach that "puts power exactly where it belongs: in the hands of parents." shorturl.at/u4HBV
shorturl.at
Guest opinion: Putting parents back in control: The sensible path forward for kids’ online safety
Throughout my time representing Utah’s 2nd District in Congress, I consistently sounded the alarm on the devastating effects that social media has had on our nation’s youth. The data speaks for itself...
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Connect x Protect @connectxprotect.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
“There is no way to keep people under 16 off a platform without determining the age of everyone who uses it, because identifying who falls below the line necessarily means identifying who sits above it.” - @mgeist.bsky.social on how age verification ID mandates impact all users shorturl.at/HOyoy
michaelgeist.ca
Everything You Wanted to Know About a Kids' Social Media Ban (But Were Rightly Afraid to Ask): A FAQ on Age Verification and Mandated ID for Everyone - Michael Geist
The government is expected to table the Digital Safety Act on Wednesday with reports that it will include a ban on social media for those under 16, framed as a “temporary” measure that platforms can e...
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