When was this published?

This article was first published on July 9, 2026 by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) and curated for The Midland readers.

Who reported this story?

This story was reported by Stephen Goin at KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS).

Where can I find related coverage?

See more local coverage from The Midland, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs.

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Congress lags on kids’ social media protections

Summary by The Midland Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: Stephen Goin, as published by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) · July 9, 2026 · 1 min read

Photo: KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) · view original

Lawmakers in the US have yet to agree on basic safety regulations for children's social media use. Other countries have taken steps to protect children online, with Australia and Indonesia implementing nationwide social media bans for children under 16. Some European countries also plan to introduce similar restrictions.

Further information on the global movement to protect children online and the challenges of implementing similar policies in the US is available from the source.

Why this matters

Local news anchors readers in their community — the people, places, and decisions that shape day-to-day life. The Midland covers these stories because national outlets often won't.

About this story

As published by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS). The Midland surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS). Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 9, 2026 · Source: KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS) · Reading time: 1 min

Summary created by	The Midland Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Byline on source page	Stephen Goin, as published by KOSA CBS7 / First Alert 7 (Permian Basin CBS)
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 9, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

Congress lags on kids’ social media protections

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