Security News > 2022 > March > President Biden calls for ban on social media ads aimed at kids

United States president Joe Biden has used his first State of the Union speech to call for a ban on social networks serving ads targeted at children.

Speaking in the presence of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who was invited to attend by first lady Jill Biden, the president said "We must hold social media platforms accountable for the national experiment they're conducting on our children for profit."

Biden used his address to urge Congress to pass the Innovation and Competition Act, which includes billions of investments in AI, quantum computing and semiconductor research - in part because if it becomes law Gelsinger "Told me they [Intel] are ready to increase their investment from $20 billion to $100 billion."

More local chipmaking was also tied to addressing inflation, which is currently running at a forty-year high of 7.5 per cent, causing much economic pain stateside and contributing to the Biden administration's tepid popularity.

Perhaps ironically, the address also put America's own oligarchs - including Big Tech - on notice that Biden wants to change their circumstances too.

"I'm not looking to punish anyone. But let's make sure corporations and the wealthiest Americans start paying their fair share," Biden said, adding "Just last year, 55 Fortune 500 corporations earned $40 billion in profits and paid zero dollars in federal income tax."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/03/02/state_of_the_union_2022_tech_policy/