Updates

Judges Sides with EPIC and AG, Telling Google, TikTok, and Meta Their Addictive Social Media Features Are Not 1A Speech

August 6, 2026

Big Tech’s overbroad arguments that their addictive social media features are protected speech were dealt a major blow in an order issued Thursday in the combined TikTok, Meta, and Google v. Bonta cases. These cases involved First Amendment challenges against California’s SB 976, which prohibits companies from providing addictive social media feeds to minors. The legislation's passage followed whistleblower reports and company leaks showing that the tech giants understood that adding engagement-maximizing features to feeds was a content-agnostic, harmful choice that was profitable for them but bad for users, especially kids. In this lawsuit, the tech companies claim that their use of surveillance data to behaviorally profile minors is First Amendment-protected speech.  

• Platform Accountability & Governance

• Platform Governance Laws & Regulations

• Section 230

• The First Amendment

• Updates

Senate Commerce Committee Advances Youth AI Privacy Act

August 5, 2026

On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee voted to advance the Youth AI Privacy Act, a crucial piece of legislation that would establish federal privacy and safety protections for minors using AI chatbots.  

• AI Policy

• Chatbots

• Children's Privacy

• Privacy Laws

• Proposed U.S. Legislation

• Updates

EPIC, Coalition Urge Senate Commerce Committee to Advance Youth AI Privacy Act

August 4, 2026

On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee will consider the Youth AI Privacy Act, important legislation that would establish federal privacy and safety protections for minors using AI chatbots. EPIC and a coalition of leading consumer and child safety advocacy organizations are urging the Committee to advance this important legislation. 

• AI Policy

• Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

• Chatbots

• Children's Privacy

• Consumer Privacy

• Proposed U.S. Legislation

• Updates

PRESS RELEASE: Coalition Challenges Dramatic Data Privacy Changes to Federal Assistance Program

August 3, 2026

• Data Protection

• Government Databases

• Government Records & Privacy

• Privacy Laws

• U.S. Privacy Laws

• Updates

Illinois Governor Signs Age-Appropriate Design Code into Law

July 31, 2026

On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker signed into law the Children’s Social Media Safety Act, a significant piece of legislation that regulates harmful platform design for minors, such as addictive feeds and overnight push notifications. 

• Platform Accountability & Governance

• Platform Governance Laws & Regulations

• Privacy Laws

• U.S. State Privacy Laws

• Updates

EPIC Urges FTC to Abandon Misleading Guidance Suggesting Consumer Protection Laws Preempt State AI Regulations

July 31, 2026

On Friday, EPIC submitted comments urging the FTC to rescind its recent policy statement on AI regulations, which falsely suggests that companies could violate federal consumer protection law by complying with state AI laws. 

• AI Policy

• Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

• Consumer Privacy

• Updates

PRESS RELEASE: Challenge to DOGE’s Unlawful Seizure of Payment System Data Advances

July 30, 2026

• Data Protection

• Government Databases

• Government Records & Privacy

• U.S. Privacy Laws

• Updates

EPIC and CDT Urge FCC to Reconsider Invasive Know Your Customer Rulemaking Proposal 

July 27, 2026

• Communications Privacy

• Consumer Privacy

• Government Records & Privacy

• Robocalls

• Updates

PRESS RELEASE: Privacy Rights Advocates Challenge Trump-Vance Administration’s Secret Tracking of People Exercising their First Amendment Rights

July 24, 2026

• Data Protection

• Democracy & Free Speech

• Fighting Federal Data Abuses

• Government Databases

• Government Records & Privacy

• Location Tracking

• Surveillance Oversight

• Updates

NJ Governor Signs Grocery Surveillance Pricing Ban with Private Right of Action into Law

July 23, 2026

On Thursday, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed into law a ban on surveillance pricing for groceries. The Fair Price Protection Act makes New Jersey the third state to enact legislation curbing surveillance pricing, joining Maryland and Connecticut. The New York Legislature has also sent a surveillance pricing ban to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk for signature. 

• Consumer Privacy

• Data Brokers

• Online Advertising & Tracking

• Surveillance Pricing

• U.S. State Privacy Laws

• Updates