NetChoice and the Utah attorney general exchanged letters Tuesday and Wednesday in a case that challenges a state law requiring age assurance for social media account holders is legal.
NetChoice Lawsuits
NetChoice lawsuits involve a series of high-profile legal challenges brought by the tech industry trade group NetChoice against state laws regulating online content moderation and user data practices. The group has sued states including Texas and Florida, arguing that their social media laws violate the First Amendment and conflict with federal protections for online platforms. These cases, now before federal appeals courts and potentially the U.S. Supreme Court, could set sweeping precedents for how states can govern digital platforms’ handling of speech, privacy, and user data.
Privacy professionals begin the new year considering significant changes to some state privacy requirements. Lawyers suggested resolutions to review data and get an early start on risk assessments.
A district court’s decision Tuesday to grant a preliminary injunction against Texas’ App Store Accountability Act surprised some, but not others, as privacy pros digested the Computer & Communications Industry Association's initial victory.
A bipartisan coalition of 28 states plus the District of Columbia filed an amicus brief Monday supporting Virginia in a case that challenges the constitutionality of a social media law that would amend the state's privacy statute. Virginia AG Jason Miyares (R) opposed NetChoice’s proposed preliminary injunction in a court document Friday.
New York state will require warning labels on social networks detailing their mental health risks. Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) late Friday signed S-4505, which passed the legislature in June (see 2506180004).
A federal court permanently blocked a Louisiana law that would require age verification before a user could access social media platforms Monday, ruling that it violated the First Amendment. The decision Monday was a win for NetChoice, which sued the state over the statute in March claiming free speech violations and privacy risks (see 2503180048).
Some supported a Texas app store age-verification law, while others criticized its constitutionality and regulatory hurdles in amicus briefs filed last week at the U.S. District Court for Western Texas (case 1:25-cv-01660).
President Donald Trump’s AI executive order late Thursday drew backlash from Democrats and Republicans -- as well as applause from tech industry groups and Capitol Hill advocates trying to avoid a patchwork of state AI regulations.
Though age gating is increasingly prevalent, laws regulating it vary widely from state to state, and courts haven't fully addressed their legality, said Corynne McSherry, legal director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
Florida and a bipartisan coalition of 32 states and the District of Columbia supported an Arkansas social media law in an amicus brief Wednesday. They claimed a “district court erred in permanently enjoining … the Social Media Safety Act” (see 2504010044).