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Va. Children's Privacy, Social Media Bills Advance

A Virginia Senate panel cleared kids’ privacy and social media bills Wednesday. The General Laws and Technology Committee voted 14-0 for SB-359, prohibiting social media operators from providing an “addictive feed” to users younger than 18 without verifiable parental consent.…

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The bill defines an addictive feed as “a website, online service, or online or mobile application, or a portion thereof, in which multiple pieces of media generated or shared by users of a website, online service, or online or mobile application, either concurrently or sequentially, are recommended, selected, or prioritized for display to a user based, in whole or in part, on information associated with the user or the user's device.” The committee voted 15-0 for SB-361, which would add children-specific protections to the state’s comprehensive consumer privacy law. It would prohibit data controllers from selling a child’s data or using it for targeted advertising or profiling. The House approved the similar HB-707 on Tuesday (see 2402070063).