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Youth Social Media Access Bills Keep Coming, OpenAI’s Foray into Video & More

February 21, 2024 (1 min read)

Legal Challenges Not Stopping Youth Social Media Access Bills

Legislation that would require social media companies to obtain parental consent before allowing access to minors has been introduced in 14 states, despite legal challenges from the tech industry to youth social media access laws passed in Arkansas, California and Ohio. A federal judge just issued a preliminary injunction blocking Ohio’s law from taking effect until the case is decided there, which could take a year or more. (PLURIBUS NEWS, CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER)

OpenAI Moves into Video

OpenAI, makers of ChatGPT, introduced a new generative AI model for creating short videos from text descriptions, other videos, or still images. The company said right now it is only sharing the model, called Sora, with a small group of outside researchers for “red teaming” to identify detrimental ways it could be used. Such technology poses significant concerns with major political elections approaching around the world. The number of AI-generated deepfake videos has increased 900% in the past year, according to data from machine learning company Clarity. (NEW YORK TIMES, CNBC)

NYC Sues Social Media Companies Over Concerns about Kids’ Mental Health

The administration of New York City Mayor Eric Adams filed a lawsuit against the parent companies of TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and YouTube, alleging their platforms are designed “to attract, capture, and addict youth, with minimal parental oversight.” A similar suit was brought against Alphabet, Meta, Snap and TikTok in California in 2022. (CNBC)

Lawsuit Claims Dating Apps Addictive

A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed against Match Group, claiming its dating apps, including Tinder and Hinge, are designed to be addictive, generating profits for the company instead of helping users find relationships. The plaintiffs claim the company’s “predatory” business model takes advantage of those seeking love by employing an algorithm that rewards their “compulsive use” of the platforms and encourages them to pay hundreds of dollars a year in subscription fees. (REUTERS)

—Compiled by SNCJ Managing Editor KOREY CLARK

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