Cantwell pleased with Senate passage of children’s online privacy legislation
Washington U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell is celebrating yesterday’s Senate passage of legislation meant to protect children and teens while they’re online.
The bill was approved 91-3 and combines two related bills.
Among its provisions, the final version bans advertising that targets children and teenagers. It no longer allows online companies to collect personal information from 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds without their consent. And it requires social media sites to provide easy ways for parents to erase their children’s personal information from those sites.
Last week, as the Senate prepared the bill for yesterday’s vote, Cantwell said it’s time for Congress and parents regain some control over how rich social media companies interact with young people.
“I so appreciate Senators Markey and Cassidy, for basically giving us a new way to hold these social media companies accountable, saying that you do know that you're targeting these kids, and also to basically raise the age to 16 and then allowing both Attorneys General and the Federal Trade Commission to enforce this legislation," she said.
The bills approved by the Senate have also been introduced in the House, but haven't made progress.
Multiple western Washington school districts have sued social media companies such as Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok, alleging they’re responsible for harming the mental health of young people.
Idaho AG argues his office can represent two sides in the same suit
Idaho’s attorney general says his office can handle the seemingly contradictory roles of suing the state and defending it in the same case.
Raúl Labrador is asking the Idaho Supreme Court to block a ballot initiative that would implement ranked choice voting and a top-four primary election system. He is the plaintiff, and Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane is the defendant – meaning Labrador’s office represents both sides.
Boise State Public Radio reports the Idaho Supreme Court asked Labrador to explain how that does not present a conflict of interest.
In a brief, Labrador replied that state code requires his office to represent all state officers and entities in litigation, with few exceptions. He told the justices the attorneys assigned to defend McGrane’s office would not communicate with or report back to Labrador, and that electronic safeguards would be put in place to prevent both sides from accessing each other’s case files.
The initiative has already been certified by county clerks and Secretary McGrane. Labrador argues the initiative’s backers misled people into signing petitions supporting the ballot measure.
The Idaho Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case before September 7th when the ballot initiative is submitted to county clerks.
WA officials worried about low FAFSA completion rates
Washington education officials are sounding the alarm on the dismal number of high school graduates who have applied for college financial aid this year.
So far, only about 36% of graduating seniors in Washington have filled out the FAFSA – the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. That’s significantly lower than in past years.
Christina Winstead heads College Access Initiatives with the Washington Student Achievement Council. She said she’s worried failure to complete the form now could create problems for students and families down the road.
“My biggest fear is that students who are not informed about access will do things like take a private loan, like not pursue education, or not pursue a pathway that they want to pursue,” Winstead told KUOW.
Although there was a surge in applications in the spring, Washington has the sixth-lowest rate in the country for completed forms. But it’s not too late. Winstead urges families to fill out the form as soon as possible.
AHANA gets a home in the University
A Spokane non-profit that supports primarily minority-owned businesses just got a permanent home in the University District.
The Multi-Ethnic Business Association, or AHANA, provides support services like management training and financial literacy programs to business owners from all cultural backgrounds in the Inland Northwest.
Devika Gates said the organization was a huge help to her as someone who runs two small businesses.
“I just became so thankful, and my involvement has just grown. And now I'm making sure that other people can really benefit from this," she said. "And we all have great ideas, and it's nice to see them come to fruition.”
Gates, who's now on AHANA's board, said she’s excited to see how the organization will be able to provide even more resources now that it’s operating from one physical location.
“I didn't have a physical place because I didn't have that type of money. And this building is now a place I can meet clients," she told SPR News. "I don't have to give out my personal address.”
The group is already looking toward expanding their services for the international community in Spokane, Gates said.
“We also want a space where low-income families can rent a place to live, so we want to be able to accommodate for that as well," she said. "And so we're looking at the land plots next to us.”
For now, the organization said it will use its new location to continue offering services like business counseling and access to banking support for community members.
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Reporting was contributed by Doug Nadvornick, Julie Luchetta, Sami West and Owen Henderson.