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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

Illegal border crossings drop to lowest level on record in June, just over 25,000 | National

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www.thecentersquare.com – Bethany Blankley – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-17 09:15:00


In June 2025, illegal border crossings in the U.S. dropped to a historic low of 25,228 apprehensions nationwide, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. This represents a sharp decline from June 2024’s 204,932 and reflects a 90% drop in Border Patrol apprehensions over the year. Most apprehensions involved single adults, with high numbers of unaccompanied minors historically reported under the Biden administration. Despite fewer illegal crossings, drug seizures increased by 13%, with methamphetamine seizures doubling compared to May. CBP under Chief Rodney Scott now provides detailed monthly apprehension data, separating entries “at entry” and “at large.”

(The Center Square) – Illegal border crossings dropped to their lowest level in recorded U.S. history in June.

Nationwide, 25,228 illegal border crossers were apprehended, the lowest monthly total in history, according to newly published U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

The greatest number apprehended were nationwide at land, sea and air ports of entry totaling 10,089, followed by 9,306 at the southwest border and 5,833 at the northern border, according to the data.

By comparison, under the Biden administration, there were 204,932 illegal border crossers reported in June 2024, 211,457 in June 2023 and 247,523 in June 2022, the highest numbers ever recorded for the month of June in U.S. history.

June apprehension data dropped from roughly 29,000, where it held consistent in May, April and March. These monthly totals dropped significantly after President Donald Trump entered office, down from 142,751 in October at the beginning of the fiscal year under the Biden administration.

As was the case every month and every year under the Biden and Trump administrations, the majority of illegal entries last month were of single adults, followed by individuals claiming to be in a family unit and unaccompanied minors.

Under the Biden administration, a record number of unaccompanied minors were smuggled and trafficked to the U.S. In fiscal 2022, nearly 153,000 unaccompanied minor illegal border crossers were reported, followed by 137,992 in fiscal 2023 and 110,672 in fiscal 2024. This fiscal year, 27,467 have been reported to date, according to CBP data.

Under new CBP Chief Rodney Scott, CBP is publishing additional information about Border Patrol apprehension data. It’s broken down by monthly totals reported nationwide, at the southwest and northern borders, “at entry” and “at large.” It excludes Office of Field Operations data.

CBP explains that Border Patrol apprehensions at entry “refers to an alien who has entered the United States without admission and has not yet reached his/her destination, regardless of the amount of time since entry.” Border Patrol apprehensions at large “refers to an alien who has illegally entered the United States, has already reached their destination, and is encountered or who was legally admitted and has since overstayed their permitted time, illegally remaining in the U.S.”

The data shows a 90% drop in Border Patrol apprehensions from June 2024 to June 2025. Border Patrol agents apprehended 87,606 illegal foreign nationals nationwide in June 2024. Among them, 1,800 were apprehended at large and 85,806 at entry. By June 2025, Border Patrol agents apprehended 8,024 nationwide, reporting 2,541 at large and 5,483 at entry, according to the data.

While illegal entries were down, drug seizures were up because more Border Patrol agents were in the field looking for drug traffickers. Total seizures of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana increased by 13% nationwide compared to May, “reflecting continued pressure on cartel-driven smuggling routes,” CBP said.

The greatest increase of seizures was of meth, up by 102% from seizures in May. Heroin seizures increased by 19%, cocaine seizures increased by 9% and fentanyl seizures increased by 3% over the month.

The post Illegal border crossings drop to lowest level on record in June, just over 25,000 | National 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

This article, while based on official CBP data, demonstrates a right-leaning bias through its selective framing and comparisons. It emphasizes negative border statistics under the Biden administration while highlighting apparent improvements following Donald Trump’s return to office. The article repeatedly references record highs during Biden’s term and contrasts them with dramatic drops under Trump, suggesting causality without attributing those claims to specific experts or officials. Language choices like “smuggled and trafficked” and the prominent use of “illegal border crossers” reinforce a more hardline immigration stance, typical of right-leaning outlets. Though fact-based, the framing favors conservative narratives on border policy.

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News from the South - Florida News Feed

DeSantis appoints Ingoglia as state’s chief financial officer | Florida

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-16 14:20:00


Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Blaise Ingoglia as the state’s new chief financial officer, replacing U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis. Ingoglia, a former state senator and representative, is a long-time ally of DeSantis and known for his stance against wasteful government spending and strong support for property tax reform, which DeSantis aims to place on the 2026 ballot. DeSantis praised Ingoglia’s record on immigration enforcement and Second Amendment issues. Ingoglia pledges to run a proactive office focused on auditing local governments, eliminating wasteful spending, and delivering property tax relief, working closely with DeSantis to protect taxpayers.

(The Center Square) – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed a new chief financial officer, long-time ally Blaise Ingoglia, at a news conference in Tampa on Wednesday.

The former state senator, representative replaces U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis, who was elected to represent the 1st Congressional District. DeSantis said one of the reasons he appointed Ingoglia to the post was his views on wasteful government spending and property tax reform, which the two-term GOP governor wants on the November 2026 ballot. 

DeSantis said one indicator of Ingoglia’s views on government accountability is his personal X handle, GovGoneWild.

“I’m like, what does that mean?” DeSantis said. “And he told me that was years ago, he was watching out of control spending at the local level and he’s like, ‘why are we paying higher property taxes when you guys are spending like this?’ And it was really to be an activist, to get new people in at the local level that would be friendly to taxpayers, and now, as chief financial officer, this is really going to come full circle for him because he’s going to have the authority to go in and audit all those local governments and really hold them accountable. I care about record and on every single time we’ve had a flash point in the Florida Legislature, Blaise is running to battle to stand up for people like you.”

DeSantis lauded Ingoglia, whom he said was a “warrior senator” with a great record on immigration enforcement, the second amendment and other issues. He also said the appointment was key since the post has the ability to audit local government spending as part of the state’s Department of Government Efficiency. 

Ingoglia says he wants to have a “proactive office” to protect taxpayer funds and implement maximum accountability.

“I’ve had a history of calling out wasteful spending whether it was Democrats or Republicans because I truly believe that government is accountable to the people and our job is to make sure we deliver on that promise,” Ingoglia said. “I am going to work hand in glove, side by side, with this governor to make sure we can get rid of the property taxes on homestead exemption and offer real property tax relief to the people of Florida. Part of that is also making sure we are cutting back, cutting away and eliminating wasteful spending at the local level. I promise you we are going to start digging in and we are going to start calling out some of this wasteful spending.”

The post DeSantis appoints Ingoglia as state’s chief financial officer | 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 from *The Center Square* reports on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s appointment of Blaise Ingoglia as chief financial officer in a largely factual tone. However, it reflects a Center-Right bias through its framing and selective emphasis. The language used to describe Ingoglia — highlighting his alignment with DeSantis on property tax reform, wasteful spending, and conservative priorities like immigration enforcement and the Second Amendment — conveys a favorable portrayal of fiscally conservative values. While the article avoids overt editorializing, its focus and tone align with typical Center-Right ideological themes such as small government and taxpayer accountability.

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The Center Square

Accused political assassin’s indictment unsealed | Minnesota

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www.thecentersquare.com – J.D. Davidson – (The Center Square – ) 2025-07-16 07:44:00


Vance Boelter, accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, also allegedly planned to kill U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, according to a letter found by authorities. Boelter faces federal charges including stalking and murder connected to the attacks, which led to the state’s largest manhunt. He claimed Governor Tim Walz instructed him to kill the senators to gain a Senate seat. Boelter was arrested June 15 after days on the run. Officials condemned his actions as political assassinations and a severe attack on Minnesota’s rule of law, with potential death penalty consequences.

(The Center Square) – In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, a Minnesota man accused of killing the former House speaker and her husband said he was told by Gov. Tim Walz to also kill U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith.

A six-county federal grand jury indictment recently unsealed contained details of a letter Vance Boelter addressed to Patel while he was on the run and the subject of the largest manhunt in Minnesota history.

Boelter faces federal charges of stalking and murder in the deaths of Speaker Emerita Melissa Holtman and her husband Mark Holtman, along with the stalking and shooting of John and Yvette Hoffmam and the attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman. 

He could face the death penalty.

“Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core,” interim U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said in a statement.  “He carried out targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota. We grieve with the Hortman family and continue to pray for the recovery of the Hoffmans. Today, a grand jury indicted Boelter with the most serious of federal charges for these heinous political assassinations. Let me be clear: Boelter will see justice.”

As previously reported by The Center Square, an affidavit from prosecutors details what officials call Boelter’s detailed planning and actions the night before and during the early-morning hours of the shootings, along with circumstances that took place during Boelter’s nearly two days on the run.

Boetler bought a Buick sedan and electric bike from an individual he met at a bus stop as he worked to escape authorities, prosecutors say.

The affidavit contains a letter written by Boetler addressed to Patel that officials found in the Buick after it had been abandoned. It said Walz wanted him to kill Minnesota’s two U.S. senators so Walz could take one of those seats.

Following the manhunt, Boelter was arrested around 9 p.m. on June 15 near his home in Green Isle.

“Last month, the state of Minnesota experienced fear and panic,” said Alvin M. Winston Sr., the senior agent in charge of FBI Minneapolis. “Today, Vance Boelter was indicted by a federal grand jury, marking another step forward in our pursuit of justice. His targeted violence was an attack on the rule of law, resulting in a manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly until Boelter was apprehended.”

The post Accused political assassin’s indictment unsealed | Minnesota 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

This article reports on the indictment and manhunt related to Vance Boelter without injecting ideological commentary or exhibiting partisan framing. While the content includes disturbing allegations—such as a claim in Boelter’s letter that Governor Tim Walz instructed him to assassinate U.S. Senators—it clearly attributes those claims to the accused and law enforcement records without editorializing or endorsing them. The tone remains focused on the legal proceedings and law enforcement responses. The inclusion of official statements from prosecutors and the FBI maintains a neutral, fact-based approach, adhering to standard journalistic practices rather than promoting a political agenda.

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