Latest news with #KouriMarshall
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Polis' veto on social media bill stands after lawmakers failed to override
DENVER (KDVR) — A rare veto by Colorado's governor will stand after the Colorado House could not muster two-thirds of representatives to vote for an override. Instead, Colorado's House of Representatives voted to lay over proceedings until May 9, two days after this year's legislative session is slated to conclude. The vote effectively tabled the measure, even after the Colorado District Attorneys' Council sent a letter urging an override of the governor's veto. Trump administration terminates $24M in grants sent for Denver migrant shelters, citing 'current priorities' Polis vetoed the bipartisan-backed bill on April 24, stating that the bill, while intended to address social media safety for all, but especially for minors, 'fails to guarantee the safety of minors or adults, erordes privacy, freedom, and innovation, hurts vulnerable people, and potentially subjects all Coloradans to stifling and unwarranted scrutiny of our constitutionally protected free speech.' He also shared concerns that the bill would require social media websites to provide annual reports to the Attorney General's Office that detailed each site's policies and enforcement, specifically sharing information about illegal activity on the platforms. 'Civil rights and digital rights advocates repeatedly spoke out against this bill. Luckily, lawmakers finally listened,' said Chamber of Progress State and Local Director Kouri Marshall. 'The bill would have almost certainly faced a legal challenge, and defending it wouldn't be a great use of the state's resources amid a billion-dollar budget shortfall.' The bill was also opposed by the ACLU. However, Colorado's district attorneys were in favor of the bill. 'Your District Attorneys sincerely desire the requirement for law enforcement's warrants to be heeded within 72 hours by these social media companies as required by the bill to enable them to effectively prevent ongoing crime happening every day in our communities,' the Colorado District Attorneys' Council wrote to the legislators. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
09-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Minnesota proposal would impose tax on social media platforms based on number of users
Key Minnesota Democrats on legislative tax committees want popular social media platforms to pay a premium for profiting off of consumer data . They believe the approach would be the first of its kind in the country. Large companies with more than 1 million users would pay $165,000 per month plus $0.50 per person on the sites. Platforms with fewer than 100,000 users would not pay any tax and those platforms that fall in between would have varied rates. "Nobody is providing these ostensibly free services out of the kindness of their little billionaire hearts. They're doing so because they're making a lot of money doing it," said Rep. Aisha Gomez, DFL-Minneapolis, the co-chair of the House taxes committee. "These companies generate billions of dollars through ad sales, yes, but increasingly through data mining—tracking every little thing each of us are doing when we're on the internet." An estimate from the state's revenue department predicts 15 social media companies would be impacted and the surcharge would bring in about $340 million in revenue over the next four years at a time when Minnesota is staring down a $6 billion deficit in the near future. Opponents of the measure caution it could violate a federal law that prevents a tax on internet access or any excessive tax on e-commerce. They also told the tax committees in both chambers Wednesday that it could psuh companies to change course in the state. "This could lead companies to scale back free or widely used services like Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube and Facebook, tools Minnesotans rely on every day for connection, work and community engagement," said Kouri Marshall with the Chamber of Progress, a trade group representing tech businesses. Republicans rejected the tax hike and blamed Democrats for the last two years of spending for the looming deficit, arguing the only reason DFL lawmakers are looking at revenue raisers at all is to plug that hole. They have long contended that the state's taxes are too high. "When you spend more than revenue you have coming in, it's unsustainable. It's simple math and that, members, is why we have a tax increase in front of us," said Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona. This isn't the first time the Minnesota Legislature has targeted social media companies. There have been bipartisan efforts in the past to put guard rails on the platforms for children in particular and the algorithms on the sites. Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, said this proposal could make Minnesota a model for other states. "What if we did this — no Minnesotan would pay, not one — and we reduced income taxes by $340 million over the next four years. Who would you rather be paying and participating in that — all of you or social media platforms?" said Rest, the tax chair in that chamber. The legislation faces an uncertain future at the capitol, though, since in order to pass it will require bipartisan support. The House is tied so Republicans and Democrats will have to work together — along with a DFL-controlled Senate and the governor — to pass the next two-year state budget. Lawmakers have begun budget negotiations to put together a deal before the session ends May 19. "What is your model maybe is to me an outlier — makes us an outlier as opposed to a model. And that wouldn't be the first time that has happened in this state in its tax policy," said Sen. Bill Weber, R-Luverne.
CNN
08-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Utah becomes the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify ages
Utah on Wednesday became the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors to download apps to their devices. The bill headed to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox has pitted Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, against app store giants Apple and Google over who should be responsible for verifying ages. Similar bills have been introduced in at least eight other states in the latest fight over children's online safety. The proposals targeting app stores follow legal fights over laws requiring social media platforms to verify the ages of users. Meta and other social media companies support putting the onus on app stores to verify ages amid criticism that they don't do enough to make their products safe for children — or verify that no kids under 13 use them. 'Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child's age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy-preserving way. The app store is the best place for it,' Meta, X and Snap Inc. said in a joint statement Wednesday. 'We applaud Utah for putting parents in charge with its landmark legislation and urge Congress to follow suit.' The app stores say app developers are better equipped to handle age verification and other safety measures. Requiring app stores to confirm ages will make it so all users have to hand over sensitive identifying information, such as a driver's license, passport, credit card or Social Security number, even if they don't want to use an age-restricted app, Apple said. 'Because many kids in the U.S. don't have government-issued IDs, parents in the U.S. will have to provide even more sensitive documentation just to allow their child to access apps meant for children. That's not in the interest of user safety or privacy,' the company said in its most recent online safety report. Apple considers age a matter of privacy and lets users to decide whether to disclose it. The company gives parents the option to set age-appropriate parameters for app downloads. The Google Play Store does the same. Apple and Google are among a litany of tech companies that help support the Chamber of Progress, a tech policy group that lobbied Utah lawmakers to reject the bill. Last year, Apple helped kill a similar bill in Louisiana that would have required app stores to help enforce age restrictions. Kouri Marshall, a spokesperson for the Chamber of Progress, called the measure 'a tremendous encroachment of individual privacy' that he said places a heavy burden on app stores to ensure online safety. Republican Sen. Todd Weiler, the bill's sponsor, argued it's 'a lot easier to target two app stores than it is to target 10,000 (app) developers.' Under the bill, app stores would be required to request age information when someone creates an account. If a minor tries to open one, the bill directs the app store to link it to their parent's account and may request a form of ID to confirm their identity. Weiler said a credit card could be used as an age verification tool in most cases. If a child tries to download an app that allows in-app purchases or requires them to agree to terms and conditions, the parent will first have to approve. Melissa McKay, a Utah mother, is among those who pushed for the legislation. She said she started asking questions about device safety after her nephew in 2017 was exposed to 'really harmful content on another student's device at school.' Inaccurate age ratings on apps and faulty parental controls are 'at the root of online harm,' McKay said. The eight other states considering proposals would similarly place responsibility on app stores to verify ages and seek parental permissions. A legislative committee advanced Alabama's bill last week. Lawsuits have delayed implementation of state laws regulating social media apps and websites. A federal judge in 2024 temporarily blocked Utah's first-in-the-nation law requiring social media companies to check the ages of all users and place restrictions on accounts belonging to minors. If Cox signs the Utah bill into law, most provisions would take effect May 7. The governor's office did not respond to emails seeking comment Wednesday. Cox, a Republican, supported the state law currently on hold that requires age verification on social media.
CBS News
06-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Utah becomes first state to pass law making app stores verify ages
Salt Lake City — Utah on Wednesday became the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors to download apps to their devices. The bill headed to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox has pitted Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, against app store giants Apple and Google over who should be responsible for verifying ages. Similar bills have been introduced in at least eight other states in the latest fight over children's online safety. The proposals targeting app stores follow legal fights over laws requiring social media platforms to verify the ages of users. Meta and other social media companies support putting the onus on app stores to verify ages amid criticism that they don't do enough to make their products safe for children - or verify that no kids under 13 use them. "Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child's age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy-preserving way. The app store is the best place for it," Meta, X and Snap Inc. said in a joint statement Wednesday. "We applaud Utah for putting parents in charge with its landmark legislation and urge Congress to follow suit." The app stores say app developers are better equipped to handle age verification and other safety measures. Requiring app stores to confirm ages will make it so all users have to hand over sensitive identifying information, such as a driver's license, passport, credit card or Social Security number, even if they don't want to use an age-restricted app, Apple said. "Because many kids in the U.S. don't have government-issued IDs, parents in the U.S. will have to provide even more sensitive documentation just to allow their child to access apps meant for children. That's not in the interest of user safety or privacy," the company said in its most recent online safety report. Apple considers age a matter of privacy and lets users decide whether to disclose it. The company gives parents the option to set age-appropriate parameters for app downloads. The Google Play Store does the same. Apple and Google are among a litany of tech companies that help support the Chamber of Progress, a tech policy group that lobbied Utah lawmakers to reject the bill. Last year, Apple helped kill a similar bill in Louisiana that would have required app stores to help enforce age restrictions. Kouri Marshall, a spokesperson for the Chamber of Progress, called the measure "a tremendous encroachment of individual privacy" that he said places a heavy burden on app stores to ensure online safety. Republican Sen. Todd Weiler, the bill's sponsor, argued it's "a lot easier to target two app stores than it is to target 10,000 (app) developers." Under the bill, app stores would be required to request age information when someone creates an account. If a minor tries to open one, the bill directs the app store to link it to their parent's account and may request a form of ID to confirm their identity. Weiler said a credit card could be used as an age verification tool in most cases. If a child tries to download an app that allows in-app purchases or requires them to agree to terms and conditions, the parent will first have to approve. Melissa McKay, a Utah mother, is among those who pushed for the legislation. She said she started asking questions about device safety after her nephew in 2017 was exposed to "really harmful content on another student's device at school." Inaccurate age ratings on apps and faulty parental controls are "at the root of online harm," McKay said. The eight other states considering proposals would similarly place responsibility on app stores to verify ages and seek parental permissions. A legislative committee advanced Alabama's bill last week. Lawsuits have delayed implementation of state laws regulating social media apps and websites. A federal judge in 2024 temporarily blocked Utah's first-in-the-nation law requiring social media companies to check the ages of all users and place restrictions on accounts belonging to minors. If Cox signs the Utah bill into law, most provisions would take effect May 7. The governor's office didn't respond to emails seeking comment Wednesday. Cox, a Republican, supported the state law currently on hold that requires age verification on social media.
CNN
06-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Utah becomes the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify ages
Utah on Wednesday became the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify users' ages and get parental consent for minors to download apps to their devices. The bill headed to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox has pitted Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, against app store giants Apple and Google over who should be responsible for verifying ages. Similar bills have been introduced in at least eight other states in the latest fight over children's online safety. The proposals targeting app stores follow legal fights over laws requiring social media platforms to verify the ages of users. Meta and other social media companies support putting the onus on app stores to verify ages amid criticism that they don't do enough to make their products safe for children — or verify that no kids under 13 use them. 'Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child's age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy-preserving way. The app store is the best place for it,' Meta, X and Snap Inc. said in a joint statement Wednesday. 'We applaud Utah for putting parents in charge with its landmark legislation and urge Congress to follow suit.' The app stores say app developers are better equipped to handle age verification and other safety measures. Requiring app stores to confirm ages will make it so all users have to hand over sensitive identifying information, such as a driver's license, passport, credit card or Social Security number, even if they don't want to use an age-restricted app, Apple said. 'Because many kids in the U.S. don't have government-issued IDs, parents in the U.S. will have to provide even more sensitive documentation just to allow their child to access apps meant for children. That's not in the interest of user safety or privacy,' the company said in its most recent online safety report. Apple considers age a matter of privacy and lets users to decide whether to disclose it. The company gives parents the option to set age-appropriate parameters for app downloads. The Google Play Store does the same. Apple and Google are among a litany of tech companies that help support the Chamber of Progress, a tech policy group that lobbied Utah lawmakers to reject the bill. Last year, Apple helped kill a similar bill in Louisiana that would have required app stores to help enforce age restrictions. Kouri Marshall, a spokesperson for the Chamber of Progress, called the measure 'a tremendous encroachment of individual privacy' that he said places a heavy burden on app stores to ensure online safety. Republican Sen. Todd Weiler, the bill's sponsor, argued it's 'a lot easier to target two app stores than it is to target 10,000 (app) developers.' Under the bill, app stores would be required to request age information when someone creates an account. If a minor tries to open one, the bill directs the app store to link it to their parent's account and may request a form of ID to confirm their identity. Weiler said a credit card could be used as an age verification tool in most cases. If a child tries to download an app that allows in-app purchases or requires them to agree to terms and conditions, the parent will first have to approve. Melissa McKay, a Utah mother, is among those who pushed for the legislation. She said she started asking questions about device safety after her nephew in 2017 was exposed to 'really harmful content on another student's device at school.' Inaccurate age ratings on apps and faulty parental controls are 'at the root of online harm,' McKay said. The eight other states considering proposals would similarly place responsibility on app stores to verify ages and seek parental permissions. A legislative committee advanced Alabama's bill last week. Lawsuits have delayed implementation of state laws regulating social media apps and websites. A federal judge in 2024 temporarily blocked Utah's first-in-the-nation law requiring social media companies to check the ages of all users and place restrictions on accounts belonging to minors. If Cox signs the Utah bill into law, most provisions would take effect May 7. The governor's office did not respond to emails seeking comment Wednesday. Cox, a Republican, supported the state law currently on hold that requires age verification on social media.
