Updates

  • EPIC Urges 7th Circuit to Uphold Wiretap Act to Protect Private Communications Containing Sensitive Health Data  

    August 12, 2026

    • Data Protection

    • Health and Reproductive Privacy

    • Wiretapping

    • Updates

  • EPIC, Advocates Celebrate As New Jersey Signs Nation-Leading Kids’ Online Safety Bills Into Law

    August 11, 2026

    JERSEY CITY, N.J. — EPIC and New Jersey Kids Code Coalition advocates celebrated as Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the landmark New Jersey Kids Code into law alongside bills to create social media mental health warning labels and a new state social media research observatory, applauding the Governor, legislative leaders, and community advocates who championed youth online safety.

    • Children's Privacy

    • Data Protection

    • Platform Accountability & Governance

    • Platform Governance Laws & Regulations

    • Social Media Privacy

    • 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

  • EPIC, Coalition Urge GSA to Remove ‘Unbiased AI’ Requirements From Federal AI Contracts

    August 3, 2026

    On August 3, EPIC, the Center for Democracy & Technology, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and Upturn submitted comments to the General Services Administration urging the agency to remove ill-defined “unbiased AI principles” requirements from its updated draft terms and conditions for federal contracts involving large language models. 

    • Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

    • Government AI Use

    • 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