Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Targets Tech Platforms Over Minors' Privacy

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated investigations into over a dozen technology platforms, including Character.AI, Reddit, Instagram, and Discord, focusing on their privacy practices concerning minors. The move highlights increasing concerns about social media's impact on youth and the enforcement of relevant Texas privacy laws.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on Thursday that his office has begun investigations into over a dozen technology platforms over alleged privacy and safety violations affecting minors.

Among the platforms under scrutiny are artificial intelligence chatbot startup Character.AI, along with widely used sites like Reddit, Instagram, and Discord. Paxton's move underscores growing concerns about children's safety in the digital space.

According to a Harvard study, U.S. social media platforms earned approximately $11 billion in advertising revenue from users under 18 in 2022. With increasing pressure on tech companies to address these issues, they state that they have implemented measures to safeguard young users. Paxton emphasized the probes would assess compliance with Texas laws designed to protect minors' data privacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)