Exposure to educational television has been shown to have positive effects on the social, intellectual, and educational development of children. Is it possible to find truly educational content on broadcast television? Articles below deal with 1) television broadcasters' obligation to provide educational programming for children, 2) efforts to shield children from indecenct programming, 3) advertising aimed at children and 4) children and violence.
Children and Media
Chairman Guthrie and Ranking Member Pallone Announce Agreement on Bipartisan Kids’ Safety Package
Coming into this Congress, we knew that protecting children and teens online would be one of the most significant challenges this committee would have to address.
Crackdown on tech platforms will go ahead despite US intervention, says UK government
White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said. The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not concerned “in the slightest” by the Trump administration’s intervention in the debate over restrictions, after the US embassy in London posted a notice warning against a ban.
Sen Banks Introduces SAFE for Kids Act
Sen Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced the Safety and Age Filtering Enforcement for Kids Act. This legislation requires adult content websites to implement age verification measures to prevent minors from accessing sexually explicit content online. Key Provisions of the SAFE for Kids Act include:
The FCC Is Asking Whether to End E-Rate. Every School and Library Should Answer.
The Federal Communications Commission released a draft proposal that should alarm schools and libraries around the country. Tucked inside a long document is a direct question: should the E-Rate program be “limited or sunset”? When E-Rate began in the late 1990s, most schools and libraries had little or no internet access.
White House, Hill relaunch effort to block state AI laws
The White House is negotiating a federal preemption of some state AI laws in exchange for its support of key tech policy priorities from the Hill. The talks are aiming to pair one of the tech industry's top priorities — overriding state AI laws — with legislation aimed at protecting kids online and combating deepfakes. Sen.
E-Rate and Children's Screen Time
On June 4, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission circulated a combined Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that could fundamentally reshape the E-Rate program—the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) program that has subsidized telecommunications and internet access for schools and libraries since 1997.
Assistant Secretary Roth Applauds FCC NPRM on E-Rate, Addressing Children’s Excessive Screen Use in Schools
I welcome the Federal Communications Commission's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on reforms to the E-Rate program to better protect children, including by addressing excessive screen time in schools. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration was grateful for the opportunity to work closely with the FCC on this important effort. In December 2025, NTIA convened a public listening session on the drivers and consequences of excessive screen use in schools, bringing together parents, educators, and child development experts from across the country.
OpenAI Sued by Florida’s Attorney General Over AI Harms
Florida fired a new broadside in a growing rebellion against alleged safety failings of artificial-intelligence chatbots, becoming the first state to file a lawsuit against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman. The lawsuit, filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, claims OpenAI and Altman knowingly released an unsafe product and ignored warnings that it could harm users.
The Rattled Generation: A unified theory of this American moment
We're living through the most disorienting societal moment since World War II.
Surgeon General's Warning on the Harms of Screen Use
Harmful screen use among children and adolescents has become a public health concern; growing up surrounded by screens of al types—televisions, computers, tablets, smartphones—is now the norm. Exposure often begins before a child’s first birthday and increases as children age. By adolescence, children may spend more time on screens than sleeping or attending school. Reducing the negative impacts of harmful screen use requires acting with urgency and empowering caregivers and communities by providing them with evidence-based tools and strategies organized around “the 5 Ds.”