Texas Takes on Tech Titans: Paxton’s Privacy Probe Targets Youth Data Practices
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton is investigating 15 tech companies, including Rumble, Quora, and WeChat, over data collection from minors. The probe, part of efforts to enforce a new state law, aims to increase oversight of social media and chat services used by under-18s. Failure to comply could result in hefty penalties.
Hot Take:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is like the cowboy of cyberspace, rounding up tech giants and social media platforms as if they’re wayward cattle rustling up teenage data. With a posse of privacy laws strapped to his belt, he’s on a mission to corral the wild west of the internet and lasso in some accountability. Yeehaw!
Key Points:
- Paxton’s investigation targets 15 companies, including Rumble, Quora, and WeChat, for data practices involving minors.
- The investigation is backed by Texas’ SCOPE Act and the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA).
- Companies are required to answer questions about their compliance with these laws by next week.
- Failure to comply could result in penalties up to hundreds of millions per company.
- The investigation shows Texas trying to fill the gap in federal online safety regulations.
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