Plans to ban Texas kids from social media

Published

3 years ago

December 14, 2022

A state representative in Texas has developed a bill, proposing banning all minors from using social media platforms.

The bill wants anyone under the age of 18 in the state prohibited from using all social media. This includes platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

HB896 introduced by Texas Rep. Jared Patterson, will require all social media users to prove their age.

Patterson wants put measures in place to protect children from harmful mental health effects of social media.

The legislation will ban accounts being created by minors. It will also require photo identification to verify that users are over the age of 18 before an account is approved.

The bill will also allow parents to request account removal of their child, and grants enforcement of deceptive trade practices to the Office of the Attorney General if violated.

“The harms social media poses to minors are demonstrable not just in the internal research from the very social media companies that create these addictive products, but in the skyrocketing depression, anxiety, and even suicide rates we are seeing afflict children…

We are tremendously grateful for Rep. Jared Patterson’s leadership on keeping this precious population safe, and TPPF is fully supportive of prohibiting social media access to minors to prevent the perpetual harms of social media from devastating the next generation of Texans.”
Greg Sindelar, CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Patterson described social media sites as “the pre-1964 cigarette,” with the public believing they were safe before in-depth research provided evidence of their harmful effects.

If the bill is passed, it will be the first of its kind to prohibit minors using social media platforms. It will lookregulate the likes of Meta, and ByteDance regarding minors using its platforms.

Both TikTok and Instagram have minimum age policies requiring users to be at least 13 years of age.

While both platforms enforce age verification measures, users under 13 are still on the platforms. This means parents are largely left to police their children’s use.

Some platforms try to address this issue by providing a range of safety tools for parents.

The level of government intervention proposed in Texas will be interesting to observe if it is passed and how it will be enforced.

It will also be fascinating to watch the societal and cultural impacts of such legislation and if other governments will also jump on board if it is effective.

By Dr Karen Sutherland, University of the Sunshine Coast and Dharana Digital

OpenAI to launch TikTok-like AI video app Sora

OpenAI to launch Sora, an AI-driven social app with TikTok-like features amid TikTok’s regulatory uncertainties

Published

1 day ago

October 1, 2025

Ahron Young

OpenAI to launch Sora, an AI-driven social app with TikTok-like features amid TikTok’s regulatory uncertainties

In Short:
– OpenAI is launching Sora 2, a social media app with AI-generated videos, competing with TikTok.
– The app features a unique identity verification system and provides short video content without uploads.

OpenAI is set to unveil Sora 2, a new social media app that imitates TikTok by offering AI-generated video content. The strategy positions OpenAI to directly challenge established platforms in the AI video market.The platform has begun internal testing. Employees have reacted positively, raising productivity concerns among managers. Sora 2 features swipe-to-scroll navigation and offers personalized video recommendations.

A unique identity verification system allows users to authenticate their likeness for use in AI-generated videos. Users will be notified when their likeness is used in videos, regardless of whether these are published. Video lengths are capped at 10 seconds, with no capability to upload personal content.

The app includes typical social media features like likes and comments, with a user interface that resembles TikTok’s “For You” page.

Strategic Launch

OpenAI’s timing for this launch is strategic, coinciding with uncertainties surrounding TikTok’s U.S. operations. Recent deals aim to transfer majority control of TikTok’s American business to U.S. investors while permitting ByteDance a minority stake.

OpenAI perceives the current turbulence as a unique opportunity to introduce a competitive platform for short-form videos, appealing to users seeking alternatives during this period of regulatory scrutiny.

Tech

Optus CEO under pressure after second emergency outage

Optus under mounting pressure for CEO resignation after second emergency outage affects thousands and raises safety concerns

Published

2 days ago

September 29, 2025

Ahron Young

Optus under mounting pressure for CEO resignation after second emergency outage affects thousands and raises safety concerns

In Short:
– Optus faces pressure after a second emergency service outage, affecting 4,500 customers for nine hours.
– Calls for CEO Stephen Rue’s resignation intensify amid scrutiny over network investment and safety mechanisms.

Australian telecommunications company Optus is under increasing pressure to address leadership concerns following a second emergency service outage in ten days.

The incident occurred in Dapto, south of Sydney, where around 4,500 customers were unable to reach Triple Zero emergency services due to a faulty mobile tower for nine hours.Optus confirmed all affected individuals were safe, but the repeated outages have raised significant alarms. The first incident took place on September 18, when a firewall upgrade blocked approximately 600 emergency calls across multiple states for 13 hours, resulting in at least four fatalities.

Calls for CEO Stephen Rue’s resignation have intensified, with opposition spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh stating that citizens need confidence in the emergency network.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the situation as “completely unacceptable.” The response from Optus has faced criticism, especially regarding the delay in notifying emergency services after the September 18 incident.

Efforts to address the failures are underway, with Singtel Group CEO Yuen Kuan Moon scheduled to meet with Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched an investigation into the outages.

Governance experts caution that merely replacing leadership will not resolve underlying issues, suggesting that reduced spending on network infrastructure is a contributing factor.

Federal Investigation

New scrutiny has emerged regarding Optus’s network investment, with reports indicating a budget decrease from $850 million in 2024 to $613 million this year.

Concerns have been raised about the absence of critical safety mechanisms, including a reliable system to reroute emergency calls when failures occur.

Tech

Meta intensifies robot development amidst competitive landscape

Meta enters robotics market with strategic partnerships and significant investments amid competition from Tesla, Apple and Google

Published

3 days ago

September 28, 2025

Ahron Young

Meta enters robotics market with strategic partnerships and significant investments amid competition from Tesla, Apple and Google

In Short:
– Meta is launching autonomous robots, beginning with a CA-1 AI robot in Germany for domestic tasks.
– The company plans to hire 100 engineers as part of a $60-65 billion AI investment for 2025.

Meta ventures into robotics, joining a market where Tesla’s Optimus robot showcases in controlled settings. Apple is also exploring robotic devices, with planned humanoid concepts by 2027.

Google is advancing robotics via DeepMind with AI models tailored for robotics applications.

Meta recently launched its first autonomous robot in Germany through a partnership with Circus SE, deploying a CA-1 AI robot at its Munich office.

The initiative is part of Meta’s objective to gather data to support its robotics focus on domestic tasks such as cleaning and laundry folding.

Strategic Investment

Industry analysts point to Meta’s software-licensing strategy as crucial in the competitive landscape, where firms often encounter challenges with hardware costs.

By positioning itself to gain from various robotics manufacturers’ successes, Meta utilises lessons from its virtual reality investments, which have seen substantial spending with limited consumer uptake.

The company is set to hire around 100 engineers for its robotics programme within a broader $60-65 billion AI infrastructure investment plan for 2025.

The indicates a strong commitment to integrating AI into physical applications.