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Big tech giants battle over competing age verification bills | Louisiana

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www.thecentersquare.com – Nolan McKendry – (The Center Square – ) 2025-05-09 12:09:00


A battle is intensifying between app stores like Google and Apple and app developers like Meta, with both lobbying heavily for favorable legislation. Bills across the U.S. are being introduced, with a Louisiana bill requiring app stores to verify user age and obtain parental consent for those under 18, shifting some responsibility from developers like Meta. While Meta supports such legislation, Google opposes it, arguing that it could violate privacy and increase risks to children. Meta has ramped up its lobbying efforts, spending millions to influence legislation, while both companies advocate for different approaches to platform accountability and user privacy.

(The Center Square) — A feisty battle is happening in states between app stores like Google and Apple and app developers like Meta. Both are spending and lobbying fiercely.

Currently, there are bills around the country working in favor of both interests. While each lobby and legislator agrees that social media is threatening child safety and that something must be done, none can agree on who ought to bear the responsibility.

In Louisiana, for instance, a bill passed committee which would require Google and Apple to verify the age of users and confirm parental consent for anyone under age 18, which would alleviate app developers — such as Meta — of some responsibility. 

Last year, Louisiana Rep. Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, introduced similar legislation. His current bill functions to do what a provision of his 2024 bill would have done, but was snuffed out by Apple, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. Now, that provision has earned its own legislation — and this time Google is working against his measure. 

Meta, on the other hand, has been working to secure legislation themselves and have indicate previous support of legislation similar to Carver’s. The social media conglomerate owned by Mark Zuckerberg is spending millions to push legislation in states and in Washington, D.C.

According to OpenSecrets, Meta currently has 63 federal lobbyists and has spent $7,990,000 at the federal level. It has spent more in the first quarter of 2025 than in any previous first quarter.

In Louisiana, Meta employs 12 lobbyists who have been paid at least $324,992 in total, according to Louisiana’s Ethics Administration — a very conservative estimate.

Meta has 13 lobbyists in Texas, 14 lobbyists in Ohio and four lobbyists in Alabama, all according to their state ethics administrations.

All of these states have had bills related to platform accountability, mostly incorporating Meta’s framework.

“There’s not enough attention on the real risks that these proposals create,” Kareem Ghanem, Google’s director of public policy, said in an interview with The Center Square. “These bills would do nothing to address people’s concerns. And in the process, they’re letting Zuckerberg and Meta off the hook by providing this false sense of security that no amount of age verification at an app store level can really solve.”

Google is urging legislators to reject the one-size-fits-all mandates like Utah’s App Store Accountability Act, warning such bills could actually increase risks to children and violate user privacy.

“Under these laws, they’d be required to collect age data from every user,” Ghanem said. “That’s unnecessary, it’s an invasion of privacy, and it creates all kinds of problems for small and medium-sized businesses. They don’t want to collect that data because it’s not relevant or necessary to providing a good experience—like, say, a weather app.”

Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and Snapchat disagree, and applauded the Utah bill.

“Parents want a one-stop shop to oversee and approve the many apps their teens want to download, and Utah has led the way in centralizing it within a device’s app store,” the companies said in a letter obtained by Fox.

The Utah bill would require app stores to share whether a user is a child or teen with all app developers.

“This level of data sharing isn’t necessary—a weather app doesn’t need to know if a user is a kid,” Google wrote in a blog post. “By contrast, a social media app does need to make significant decisions about age-appropriate content and features.”

In response, Google has responded with its own lobbying and a legislative framework focused on what it calls a more balanced, privacy-first approach. Federally, Google has spent $3,805,000 this year, according to OpenSecrets. According to Google, a bill that incorporates their framework has been introduced in Ohio, where the company is represented by 14 lobbyists.

Google’s framework would allow app stores to provide age signals only to developers who require them for safety reasons—and only with user or parental consent. The company says developers, not platforms, should be responsible for applying appropriate safety features when minors use their apps.

Meanwhile, in Louisiana, the bill under consideration would require app stores to enforce age restrictions and bar minors from accessing certain apps altogether. Whether that bill survives the full legislative process may depend on which tech titan gains the upper hand.

The post Big tech giants battle over competing age verification bills | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a balanced overview of an ongoing legislative and lobbying conflict between major tech companies, Google and Apple, and app developers including Meta. It reports on the positions and actions of the involved parties without promoting any particular viewpoint. The tone is factual and neutral, covering arguments from both sides, details of the bills, and lobbying expenditures without emotionally charged language or loaded framing. This approach suggests the content is focused on informing the reader about the issue rather than advocating a specific ideological stance.

The Center Square

Trump, DeSantis to unveil ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility | Florida

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www.thecentersquare.com – Bethany Blankley – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-01 08:14:00


President Donald Trump visited Florida’s new large-scale state-run deportation facility in the Everglades, marking the first of its kind. Florida leads with numerous state agencies partnering with ICE and was the first to launch a program protecting ICE officers. The facility, located at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport near the Everglades, was proposed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and can house up to 3,000 detainees, with the first arrivals expected immediately. Gov. Ron DeSantis emphasized Florida’s full support for Trump’s deportation mission, highlighting the facility’s efficiency for processing and deporting criminal foreign nationals.

(The Center Square) — President Donald Trump is visiting the first large-scale state-run deportation facility in the country in the Florida Everglades on Tuesday morning.

In addition to Florida having the most state agencies and law enforcement entities participating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and being the first state to launch a program to protect ICE officers, it’s also the first to build a massive deportation facility to support Trump’s deportation efforts.

The president will meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier who proposed the location and construction of the facility.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Immigration and Custom Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons and Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie will also be in attendance.

Two weeks ago, Uthmeier proposed that the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport be used to assist with ICE deportation efforts. The 30-square mile airport owned by Miami-Dade County is located roughly 60 miles east of Miami near the Everglades National Park. Its 10,000-foot-long asphalt runway is used for military training exercises and was intended to be part of Miami’s new airport before a public outcry halted construction in 1970.

“Florida’s been leading on immigration enforcement, supporting the Trump administration and ICE’s efforts to detain and deport criminal aliens,” Uthmeier said. “The governor tasked state leaders to identify places for new temporary detention facilities. I think this is the best one, as I call it Alligator Alcatraz.”

“It presents an efficient, low-cost opportunity to build a temporary detention facility because you don’t need to invest that much in the perimeter,” he said. “If people get out, there’s not much waiting for them other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.”

He said the facility would be ready within 30 to 60 days after construction, with the potential to house 1,000 criminal foreign nationals.

However, the first detainees are expected to arrive as early as Tuesday, and the site will be able to hold up to 3,000 at a time, Gov. DeSantis said.

In a preview with Fox News, DeSantis explained, “the state of Florida is all in on President Trump’s [mass deportation] mission.” In an effort to help federal agents with processing and staging removal operations, the state identified the airport as a base of operations.

“There needs to be more ability to intake, process and then deport,” DeSantis said. “We’ve got a massive runway where any of the federal agencies want to fly these people back to their home country, they can do it in a one stop shop.”

The post Trump, DeSantis to unveil ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention facility | Florida appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Right-Leaning

The article presents a clear ideological perspective aligned with conservative and right-leaning views on immigration enforcement. The tone is largely supportive of President Donald Trump’s deportation efforts and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ immigration policies, emphasizing state leadership in immigration enforcement and portraying the new detention facility positively. The language used—such as describing the facility’s location as “Alligator Alcatraz” and highlighting the ease and efficiency of deportation efforts—frames the initiative as practical and tough on immigration. There is no counterpoint or critique presented, which suggests an endorsement of the policy rather than neutral reporting. Overall, the article promotes a pro-enforcement, pro-Trump immigration stance consistent with right-leaning ideology.

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News from the South - Tennessee News Feed

Garcia to remain in federal custody until July 16 hearing | Tennessee

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-30 15:55:00


Kilmar Abrego Garcia remains in federal custody following a Monday ruling by Magistrate Barbara D. Holmes. Garcia faces federal human smuggling charges related to a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop where he was caught driving an SUV with eight passengers, suspected of smuggling them for money. Garcia sought release, citing conflicting government statements about potential removal to a third country before trial. Holmes noted these conflicting positions and decided Garcia will stay detained until a July 16 hearing. He is to be held separately from other inmates and given private access to his defense counsel. Garcia was recently returned to the U.S. after deportation to El Salvador.

(The Center Square) – Kilmar Abrego Garcia is not getting out of jail for now.

The Monday ruling from federal Magistrate Barbara D. Holmes comes at the request of Garcia, who is facing federal charges of human smuggling. Garcia is concerned “based on purported conflicting statements by the government, specifically that it intends to remove Abrego to a third country upon his return to DHS custody following release in this case and that it would ensure Abrego is not removed before trial on the instant criminal charges,” Holmes said in the ruling.

Holmes previously said that Garcia should be released but acknowledged that he would likely remain in federal custody. In her ruling Monday, Holmes said she considered the “perceived conflicting positions taken by the government regarding whether it will deport Abrego pending final disposition of this case including the further review by the District Judge of the government’s request for pretrial detention.”

The ruling means Garcia will be held in federal custody until a July 16 hearing.

“He shall, to the extent practicable, be held separately from persons awaiting or serving sentences or being held in custody pending appeal and he shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity for private consultation with defense counsel,” Holmes said in her ruling.

Garcia was returned to the U.S. after being deported to El Salvador to stand trial on charges of “alien smuggling” and “conspiracy to commit alien smuggling.”

The smuggling charges stem from a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop. Garcia was driving an SUV with eight passengers. One of the officers believed that he was smuggling them, remarking in a video of the traffic stop that he was “hauling these people for money.”

The post Garcia to remain in federal custody until July 16 hearing | Tennessee appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

The article presents a straightforward report on the federal magistrate’s ruling regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s detention without promoting or endorsing any political viewpoint. The language used is factual and neutral, focusing on legal proceedings and specific court statements without commentary or emotionally charged phrasing. It describes the charges, court decisions, and events sequentially without framing the issue through a particular ideological lens. Thus, the content adheres to neutral, factual reporting rather than expressing or implying a political bias.

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News from the South - Florida News Feed

DeSantis signs oft-delayed $115.1B budget for Florida | Florida

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-06-30 13:54:00


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a $115.1 billion state budget featuring $1.3 billion in tax relief. The budget is $3.5 billion less than last year’s $118.6 billion, marking a 3.2% spending cut, including $590 million in line-item vetoes. DeSantis emphasized Florida’s strong fiscal management and prioritized property tax reform, aiming for a 2026 ballot initiative to lower property taxes. The tax relief package phases out Florida’s unique business rent tax and establishes permanent annual sales tax holidays in August for school supplies and in fall for fishing and hunting gear. Local governments may also reduce some sales surtaxes with a two-thirds vote.

The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s $115.1 billion budget and a tax relief package worth $1.3 billion in tax relief in a ceremony in Wildwood on Monday.

The second-term Republican governor put his signature on the budget which he says includes about $590 million in line-item vetoes.

“I think signing the budget underscores the fact that Florida is the best-managed state in these United States,” DeSantis said. “So going into this legislative session, our current fiscal year, which ends tonight, we are actually spending less this year than we were the previous fiscal year. How many places are spending less year over year? Not a lot.”

DeSantis said his priority is shifting to property tax reform and he urged Florida voters to hold their local leaders and lawmakers accountable as he seeks to have a ballot initiative on the November 2026 ballot to lower property taxes. 

The $115.1 billion budget passed by lawmakers just weeks before Tuesday’s deadline is $3.5 billion less this year’s outlay of $118.6 billion, a 3.2% cut. GOP legislative leaders needed 106 days, nearly double the normal 60-day legislative session, to find an accord on the state’s budget. 

Also included is $1.3 billion in tax relief and $830 million to pay off the state’s debt into the budget. 

The package includes the phaseout of the state’s business rent tax, with Florida being the only state to mandate such a levy.

“The Legislature has also done something that I’ve been asking for for many years, and that’s eliminating a tax that only Florida has of all 50 states, and that’s taxing business rent,” DeSantis said. “Not good for our economy. It’s not good for for business growth and so that tax is being sunsetted. And again, how many times do you hear governments eliminating a tax like normally, these taxes grow. So thanks for doing that. I think that that’s well intended.”

The amount of tax relief, $1.3 billion, is smaller than what was sought originally by House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, but is the largest recurring one in state history.

“Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature are running to the fight for meaningful, broad-based tax relief to keep more money in the pockets of the hard-working Floridians and local businesses who earn it,” said outgoing Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula. “Inflation has led to significant cost increases, impacting families and seniors. Cutting taxes on essentials helps keep Florida affordable. We know our current sales tax holidays are popular and highly utilized as families and seniors map out and plan for specific purchases.

“Creating a permanent tax holiday every August on clothing, shoes, school supplies, and personal computers expands our current holiday and creates a consistency that benefits both consumers and retailers.”

August will have a permanent sales tax holiday for school supplies and another one in the fall for fishing and hunting supplies. Lawmakers also removed sales tax from disaster preparedness supplies.

Previously, those sales holidays were done by lawmakers from year to year. 

The tax relief bill also allows local governments to reduce or repeal certain discretionary sales surtaxes with a two-thirds vote. 

The post DeSantis signs oft-delayed $115.1B budget for Florida | Florida appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com



Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This article primarily reports on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s signing of the state budget and tax relief package with a focus on fiscal responsibility and tax cuts, presenting these actions positively through direct quotes and supportive statements from Republican leaders. The language highlights achievements like budget cuts, tax phaseouts, and tax holidays, framing them as beneficial for businesses and families, which aligns with conservative fiscal policy priorities. While the article is largely factual, the positive framing of GOP initiatives and absence of critical perspectives suggest a center-right leaning, emphasizing pro-business and limited government themes typical of conservative-leaning coverage.

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