Some states are rewriting the rules governing how children and teenagers use the internet, while lawmakers in Washington weigh new federal restrictions that could reshape age verification requirements nationwide. The legislative push comes amid an intensifying debate over children’s online safety, social media addiction and digital privacy. Supporters argue that stronger safeguards are necessary to...Read More

Story audio is generated using AI Weapons, drugs, alleged theft and claims of educator misconduct. These were among the issues uncovered as Gauteng education MEC Lebogang Maile led stop-and-search operations at three schools in Carletonville and Orange Farm on Tuesday after reports of gangsterism, bullying and school violence. Maile led operations at Badirile Secondary School...Read More

Children who start using social media at a younger age may be putting their future academic performance at risk, according to a new study that tracked more than 5,000 students in Italy. Researchers found that adolescents who opened their first personal social media account at ages 11 to 12 went on to score significantly lower...Read More

The families of four teenagers who died by suicide are suing Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube over what they describe as “years of escalating harms” from using their platforms that eventually resulted in their deaths. The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Superior Court of Delaware, is the latest in a flurry of suits filed against...Read More

Aug. 4, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET The Barnstable Police Department is creating a new database for high-risk children. This initiative follows several recent incidents of missing children on Cape Cod. Responding to incidents involving missing high-risk children, the Barnstable Police Department has created a database they say can help law enforcement answer quickly. The database,...Read More

Plans have been unveiled for a first-of-its-kind overnight social media curfew for older teens in the UK. The news follows the full ban for under 16s that was announced last month, the second of its kind, following Australia. Today, the UK government said apps like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will become unavailable by default to...Read More

Children who open social media accounts at the start of secondary school appear to perform worse in tests than those who delay, with researchers suspecting that the constant checking for updates is a major distraction for many students. Pupils who opened their first social media account aged 11 to 12 scored lower in mathematics and...Read More

69 child predator arrests made across Mississippi in statewide undercover sweep ‘Operation Muddy Waters’ Published 10:37 am Tuesday, August 4, 2026 Dozens of child predator suspects—including individuals holding positions of public trust—are behind bars following a massive two-week statewide undercover operation, law enforcement officials announced Monday afternoon. The multi-agency effort, dubbed “Operation Muddy Waters,” culminated...Read More

As of March 2026, every U.S. state had introduced at least one bill seeking to regulate social media or other digital platforms for people younger than 18. The wave of legislation would be difficult for anyone to keep track of, whether they’re a researcher, parent or policymaker. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have...Read More

Federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities gathered at the Oxford Police Department on Monday afternoon to announce the completion of “Operation Muddy Waters,” a two-week statewide undercover sting targeting child predators. The joint effort—which included the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Service, and...Read More