Governor Spencer Cox signed two measures restricting how easily children in the state can access platforms like TikTok and Twitter, setting the precedent in the U.S.
The new laws require setting up age verification on platforms and that parents approve their minor children's requests to sign up for social media, allowing parents access to those accounts, putting in place designated times that children can be logged onto social media (banning use from 10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.), and easing the possibility of lawsuits for platforms causing harm.
Utah state Senator Michael McKell (R-25th District), who introduced the bill, said the goal was to protect children.
"As a lawmaker and parent, I believe this bill is the best path forward to prevent our children from succumbing to the negative and sometimes life-threatening effects of social media," he told CNN in a statement.
The legislation comes just a day after TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew was grilled on Capitol Hill, with senators questioning, among other things, the app's safety and security practices and how it impacts the mental wellbeing of children.
Despite passing the regulations, it remains unclear how Utah will enforce them even as social media platforms intend to challenge the laws before implementation in 2024.
The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening rules that limit emissions of mercury and other harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants.
King Charles III’s wife has been officially identified as Queen Camilla for the first time, with Buckingham Palace using the title on invitations for the monarch’s May 6 coronation.
Tax payers are getting less bang for their buck in 2023. The IRS said the government has so far issued $172 billion in refunds. That's down 9 percent from a year ago, and the average refund is down from roughly $3,2000 to $2,900. However, the overall number of people to get refunds is up 3 percent.
Doctors accused of not providing enough care to infants delivered alive during certain kinds of abortion procedures in Kansas could face lawsuits and criminal charges under a bill that won final approval Tuesday in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature.
Some 9.2 million lead pipes carry water into homes across the U.S., with more in Florida than any other state, according to a new Environmental Protection Agency survey that will dictate how billions of dollars to find and replace those pipes are spent.
Former President Donald Trump has been warned by the judge in his criminal case to avoid making comments that are inflammatory or could cause civil unrest.
The incoming majority is expected to rule on a challenge to the state's 1849 abortion ban. The current court, under a 4-3 conservative majority, came within one vote of overturning President Joe Biden’s win in the state in 2020.
Tuesday's win is a major victory for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing as the nation’s third-largest city grapples with high crime and financial challenges.
Voters are heading to the polls in Chicago to vote for either Brandon Johnson or Paul Vallas as new mayor.
Breaking Down Potential Felony Charges Former President Donald Trump Faces
