Center for Social Media Reform

 For decades Technology has improved American Society.

Innovative young entrepreneurs started companies that helped improve the life of American citizens in areas like economic growth, productivity, Healthcare, Education and Communication.

Making these companies and their founders accumulate $17 Trillion dollars in wealth/valuations. Apple 3.7T, Microsoft 3T , Google 2T, Facebook 1.7T , Nvidia 3T, Amazon 2.25T , Tesla 1T

The explosion of social media use around the world has created many problems in society. 

About two-thirds (64%) of Americans believe social media has a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the country today.

Addictive Algorithms - Algorithm-driven targeted ads cause binge shopping, leading to financial and psychological distress, including debt and marital issues.

Hate, Violence and Division - 55% of U.S. respondents frequently encountered hate speech online, with 18% encountering it very often and 37% fairly often.

Misinformation - Eroded public confidence in democratic processes, with false narratives about election integrity leading to decreased trust in electoral outcomes.

Data Privacy - In 2024, 92% of Americans expressed concern about their privacy when using the internet. 

Impact on Children - Suicide rates among minors 10-24 is the second leading cause of death.

Fraud and Theft - The FTC reported that scams originating on social media accounted for $2.7 billion in reported losses since 2021

Europe has been aggressive in protecting its citizens. Regulating online intermediaries and platforms, ensuring the protection of users. Preventing the spread of illegal content and disinformation. Protecting individuals' personal data and privacy, granting users greater control over their information.

America has been lagging in protecting its citizens and one of the reasons is the $17 trillion dollars in wealth of the technology companies.

Proposed solutions

Laws - Evaluate current CT laws, compare to other U.S. states, analyze laws of other countries and EU to see how they positively impacted their society.

Education - Delivering digital literacy in communities to assess online content. Use education to mitigate the effects, e.g. showing parents how to restrict phone usage. Fraud scams that are going around.

Communication - Leverage different media websites, Instagram, Facebook, emails, text messages. Launching campaigns that inform the public about online safety practices, the risks of sharing personal information, and methods to identify and avoid cyber threats enhances overall digital security.

Resources - Leveraging existing resources is crucial for enhancing the safety and privacy of citizens on social media platforms. Individuals and organizations can utilize the following tools and guidelines.

Technology - Fact checking stories. iPhone for kids, bully notifications. Adopting t technological measures, social media platforms can create safer environments, protect user privacy, and enhance the overall trustworthiness of their services.

America needs to engage with bright, young leaders who grew up on these platforms and understand the technology and misuse of these platforms to help us solve these issues.

We are looking for funding sources to build and develop a Center for Social Media reform at UCONN Stamford that will address these issues.

Adjunct Professor John Iacovacci

University of Connecticut, Stamford

John.Iacovacci@uconn.edu

Notes 2/24/25

 Define problems, 

I use chatgpt for example

statistics on teenage suicide related to social media

Suicide Rates and Social Media Use:

• General Trends: Between 2007 and 2015, the suicide rate among male teens increased by 31%, and female teen suicides reached a 40-year high in 2015. ​Social Media Victims
• Social Media Influence: Research indicates that increased social media and internet use are associated with higher suicide attempt rates among adolescents. Adjusted odds ratios in various studies ranged from 1.03 to 5.10, suggesting a significant correlation. ​PubMed Central

Impact of Specific Social Media Platforms:

• Instagram: A study found that among teenagers who reported suicidal thoughts, 6% traced them back to Instagram. Additionally, one in three teenage girls reported that Instagram worsened body image issues. ​UHealth

Cyberbullying and Suicide Risk:

• Cyberbullying: Victims of cyberbullying are more than twice as likely to self-harm and engage in suicidal behavior. A study by Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patchin found that cyberbullying increases suicidal thoughts by 14.5% and suicide attempts by 8.7%. ​Wikipedia

give stats on impact

Proposed solutions

Laws - What does CT have, what do other states have that are good, what do other countries have that are good

Education - How do we use education to mitigate the effects, e.g. showing parents how to restrict phone usage. Fraud scams that are going around

Communication - leverage different media websites, instagram, facebook, emails, text messgaes

Resources - Links to helpful sites and information

Technology - Fact checking stories? Iphone for kids, bully notifications

Each presentation should 2 to 4 pages for a total of 5 to 7 minutes.

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/social_issues.html

UCONN Stamford CSE 3000 Site UCONN Stamford CSE 3000 Site . Social Media Issues. CSE 3000 papers. Team 1 Topics; Team 5 Topics; Link to CSE 3000 Blog; CSE 3000 Past Solutions. Data Manipulation storage.googleapis.com

LINK TO PAST PRESENTATIONS.

Adjunct Professor John Iacovacci

University of Connecticut, Stamford

John.Iacovacci@uconn.edu

Notes from 2/17/25

 

1. Educate representatives on all social media and technology issues.
2. Provide links to valuable state, country and world wide resources
3. Analyze exiting laws and identify ways to improve them.
4. Research best practices in each one of these areas around the country and the world
5. Continued research for future problems and technology
6. Make public aware of know scams and known harmful misinformation
7. Use many different ways to communicate website, emails, twitter, instagram, facebook, bluesky

Need a 5 minute presentation for March 10^th ready for each group.

Thanks

Center for Social Media Reform

  To All;

The pitches for March 10^th will be focused on getting funding to continue this research at UCONN Stamford.

I'm extremely impressed with the work everyone has done so far.

Summarized each groups pages and links.

We need to figure out to get message of each group down to 5 to 7 minutes in a pitch deck.

Awesome work. 🙂

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/Data_privacy.html

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/hate_speech.html

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/Speading_misinformation.html

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/Addictive_Algorithms.html

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/Protecting_kids.html

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/election.html

https://storage.googleapis.com/uconn-stamford-website/fraud.html

Adjunct Professor John Iacovacci

University of Connecticut, Stamford

John.Iacovacci@uconn.edu

State Laws

 Several U.S. states have enacted laws to protect society on the internet and social media, addressing issues like privacy, cyberbullying, misinformation, and data security. Here are some key examples:

1. Privacy and Data Protection

• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) (2018, updated in 2020 with CPRA)
• Grants consumers rights over their personal data, including access, deletion, and opting out of data sales.
• Applies to companies that collect and sell personal data.
• Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) (2021)
• Gives Virginia residents rights over their data, similar to CCPA.
• Requires companies to conduct data protection assessments.
• Colorado Privacy Act (2021)
• Establishes consumer data rights and mandates businesses to provide clear privacy policies.
• Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) (2022)
• Allows consumers to access and delete their data but is less strict than California’s law.

2. Social Media and Online Safety

• Texas Social Media Law (HB 20) (2021)
• Prevents large social media platforms from banning users based on their political viewpoints.
• Currently facing legal challenges.
• Florida’s Social Media Anti-Censorship Law (SB 7072) (2021)
• Prohibits platforms from deplatforming political candidates.
• Blocked by courts due to First Amendment concerns.
• New York’s Online Hate Speech Law (2022)
• Requires social media platforms to have policies for reporting and addressing hateful content.
• Focuses on combating online harassment.

3. Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

• Megan’s Law (Missouri, 2006) & Cyberbullying Prevention Laws
• Missouri passed cyberbullying laws after a tragic case involving MySpace harassment.
• Other states, like North Carolina and Texas, have strict anti-cyberbullying laws.
• New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights (2011)
• Strengthened cyberbullying laws in response to high-profile cases.
• Requires schools to address online bullying.

4. AI and Deepfakes

• California’s Deepfake Law (AB 730 & AB 602) (2019)
• Prohibits the use of deepfake technology in election misinformation and non-consensual deepfake pornography.
• Texas’ Deepfake Law (HB 2589) (2019)
• Criminalizes deepfake videos intended to deceive voters before elections.

5. Child Protection on the Internet

• California Age-Appropriate Design Code (2022)
• Requires online platforms to consider children’s privacy and safety when designing services.
• Inspired by the UK’s similar law.
• New York’s Child Data Protection Laws (2023)
• Aims to limit targeted advertising and data collection from minors.

6. Digital Fraud and Cybersecurity

• Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) (2008)
• Regulates how companies collect and store biometric data like facial recognition and fingerprints.
• Washington State’s My Health My Data Act (2023)
• Expands privacy protections for health-related data collected online.

Many of these laws are still evolving, with legal challenges and updates expected as technology advances. Are you looking for laws related to a specific issue?

Response 2

Several U.S. states have implemented laws to protect society from online harms such as misinformation, data privacy violations, cyberbullying, and online exploitation. Here are some key examples:

1. Data Privacy Laws

• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) (2018): Grants California residents rights over their personal data, allowing them to access, delete, and opt out of data sales by companies.
• Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) (2021): Similar to CCPA, providing Virginia residents with rights to control their personal data.
• Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) (2021): Establishes consumer rights regarding data collection and mandates transparency in data usage.

2. Social Media Regulations

• California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (2022): Requires social media platforms to enhance child safety by limiting data collection and restricting harmful content.
• Texas HB 20 (2021): Prevents social media platforms from banning or censoring users based on political viewpoints (currently under legal challenges).

3. Cyberbullying & Online Harassment Laws

• Florida’s “Gabby’s Law for Student Safety” (2013): Criminalizes cyberbullying in schools and allows schools to discipline students for online harassment.
• New York’s Cyber Harassment Law: Expands penalties for cyberstalking and digital harassment, including revenge porn.
• Missouri’s Cyberbullying Law (2008): Created after a high-profile case of online harassment, making it illegal to harass or intimidate someone through electronic communication.

4. Misinformation & Election Integrity

• Washington’s Disinformation Law: Criminalizes the intentional spread of false election information that misleads voters.
• Minnesota’s Election Misinformation Law: Penalizes those who deliberately spread false claims about voting procedures.

5. Online Child Protection Laws

• Utah Social Media Laws (2023): Requires parental consent for minors to use social media and restricts access during nighttime hours.
• Arkansas Social Media Age Verification Law (2023): Mandates social media companies to verify users’ ages and obtain parental approval for minors.
• Louisiana’s Online Pornography Age Verification Law (2023): Requires adult websites to verify users are 18+ before granting access.

6. Deepfake & AI Manipulation Laws

• California’s Anti-Deepfake Law (2019): Criminalizes the distribution of manipulated videos intended to mislead voters or damage reputations.
• Texas Deepfake Law (2019): Bans the creation and distribution of deepfake videos intended to deceive voters before an election.

These laws reflect growing concerns about digital safety, privacy, and the spread of harmful content. Would you like details on a specific type of law?

Adjunct Professor John Iacovacci

University of Connecticut, Stamford

John.Iacovacci@uconn.edu