As students and staff at Florida State University were locked down and hiding during a deadly shooting, thousands of family members and friends took to social media to piece together what was happening. The flood of information led to numerous rumors circulating, some of which turned out to be false.

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging a 2024 Florida law aimed at restricting children’s access to major social-media sites, ruling that industry groups did not show they had legal standing to fight the measure.

The Duval County School Board held a workshop Tuesday where it discussed a potential change to its employee conduct policy.

A new report from Tessian, a cyber security company, reveals 4 in 5 people overshare personal data on social media, with 42% of people posting enough data to give hackers, thieves and criminals the info they need to launch an attack.

The digital age has revolutionized not just how we communicate but also how we connect. A decade ago, we relied on chance encounters and blind dates to find the love of our lives.

According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association, teens spend an average of 4.8 hours per day on social media, and 87% of that time is spent on popular apps like TikTok and Instagram.

As we remember MLK and his work to demand equal opportunities for all, we’re looking at how the next generation is following in his footsteps and galvanizing supporters from their phones.

We’re taking a look back at 2024’s craziest, kookiest, and most confounding stories, including a melted statue of Abraham Lincoln, a guy body-slamming an Orca, and a woodpecker playing ding-dong-ditch.

Having issues with social media today? You’re not alone.

In a long-anticipated move, two internet-industry groups filed a constitutional challenge on Monday to a new Florida law aimed at keeping children off social media platforms.

News4JAX is featuring the story of Ashley Aguilar, who, in just over two years, has become a popular Instagram foodie with her account Social Feeds.

42 state attorneys general demand a Surgeon General warning label for social media apps.

Social media is now being used as a tool that may help court cases in St. Johns County move forward faster, and all thanks to an idea from an intern at the clerk’s office.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is sending an urgent warning to parents after deputies confirmed they’re investigating two separate cases involving a potentially dangerous social media trend.

TikTok sensation Keith Lee came down to Jacksonville for the annual Duval Day community event.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday vacated conflicting rulings in challenges to Florida and Texas laws aimed at placing restrictions on social-media platforms, directing appeals courts to reconsider the decisions.

Duval County Public Schools is holding a workshop Tuesday morning to discuss creating a mental health plan and to review the student code of conduct.

Duval County school leaders focused on student’s mental health during a workshop on Tuesday.

The U.S. surgeon general has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms similar to those now mandatory on cigarette boxes.

Before you spend money on that celebrity-endorsed premium cookware, weight loss product, or can’t-miss money-making opportunity, pause. Take a breath. Are you sure a celebrity or influencer is really endorsing that product or program?

Social media feeds are flooded with ads offering steep discounts on brand-name products, including luxury items. But are these offers real or a scam?

Two local school districts have now joined hundreds of others around the country in filing lawsuits against the major social media platforms saying they have a role in the mental health crisis among children in the country.

Sure, they can be convenient places to find great deals, but as Consumer Reports explains, there are some safety steps you need to take before you meet up to finalize an online sale.

A revamped version of a bill that would ban teens from using social media is now making its way to Governor Ron DeSantis’ desk after he vetoed an earlier version.

In a multi-state lawsuit against Meta, the states claim that the social media company has harmed young people’s mental health and promoted addiction. But just how harmful is social media for children and teens?

Amid a debate about the role of government and parental rights, the Florida Senate on Thursday passed a bill that seeks to keep children under the age of 16 off social media platforms.

The Florida Senate is ready Thursday to pass a high-profile bill that seeks to prevent children under age 16 from creating accounts on what lawmakers say are “addictive” social-media platforms.

FBI officials say it is becoming easier for child predators to take advantage of families through social media, as the number of crimes against children increases year after year.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 7-2 to approve a bill (SB 1788) that is similar to a measure (HB 1) that passed the House last month and is a priority of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast.

A Clay County family has filed a lawsuit against the LGBTQ social networking and dating site Grindr after their underage son's death, raising questions about the responsibility of social media platforms for the mental health and safety of their users. This federal case could potentially set a precedent for other families to hold social media giants accountable. The lawsuit claims that Grindr failed to verify the age of the minor and did not implement adequate safeguards to prevent underage access. The plaintiffs allege that Grindr intentionally allowed underage users to engage in sexual activities with adult users. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the liability of social media platforms in similar situations.

Sexual predators. Addictive features. Self-harm and eating disorders. Unrealistic beauty standards. Bullying. These are just some of the issues young people are dealing with on social media — and children’s advocates and lawmakers say companies are not doing enough to protect them.

While a student at Harvard in 2003, Mark Zuckerberg developed what was then known as Facemash, an online platform intended to judge the attractiveness of students at the university.

Online stranger danger is a real concern on social media. As a result, Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has rolled out new tools for parents that will limit messages with kids. This, as state lawmakers want to ban minors from using social media altogether.

Meta has announced stricter message settings for teens on Instagram and Facebook. The company said, "We're building on our work to provide age-appropriate experiences for teens, and to make it simpler for parents to shape their teens' online experiences."

The Florida House is poised to pass a bill aimed at preventing children under age 16 from using social media, as parts of the tech industry argue the measure could be unconstitutional and create data-privacy concerns.

We know those who choose to comment on our stories are some of our most engaged users.

Florida lawmakers will be pushing this session to keep children younger than 16 years old off social media.

Florida lawmakers will be pushing this session to keep children younger than 16 years old off social media.

After reports showed the 17-year-old Iowa school shooter made several social media posts around the time of the shooting, some people are questioning the role of social media in preventing tragedies like this.

If you’re tired of the same old New Year’s resolutions, like working out more or trying to lose weight, we’ve got another idea for you. How about trying a social media detox?

Lately, BBB Scam Tracker has seen multiple reports of a scam in which con artists trick people out of their money by promising they can recover social media accounts.

Teenage terrorism inspired by social media is on the rise according to local FBI Agents.

A new study is shining a light on the amount of time teenagers are spending on their cell phones and social media every day.

More teens are depressed and the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory issued in May 2023 indicates that social media may be playing a role.

The experts at Consumer Reports are warning people about a popular laundry hack trending on TikTok.

A cyber watchdog company wants to keep kids safe from online predators, especially if kids are using an app called Wizz.

Ever since Elon Must bought Twitter, millions of users have complained about.

Is there someone you follow on social media because they produce content about your hometown?

Faith and Cassandre decided to swap eggs and carry the other’s baby — at the same time.

Two Jacksonville small businesses were the victim of a scam that left them locked out of their social media accounts, meaning they lost a vital part of their marketing.

Teens use of Social Media could cause mental health issues. U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory report details depression and anxiety as result of excessive social media use.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids’ and adolescents’ mental health on social media.

News4JAX submit examples of content the digital department created that showcased out-of-the-box teaching styles, the use of trends, and different ways to reach audience members.

The video shows cars spinning out with passengers hanging out of the window recording video. Others perform a blockade on the highway. There’s a line of traffic stopped with some motorists honking their horns in anger.

Calling all content creators! We want to meet you!

I’m very much aware that I have no control over the decisions social media apps and organizations make, but it would have been nice to know that a strange little AI bot was going to show up as a Snapchat friend.

Police started warning the public about a social media trend that continues to increase Hyundai and Kia car thefts across the United States in 2022.

In addition to parental consent, the bill would also ban users under the age of 13 from assessing social media platforms.

JSO Sgt. Douglas Howell was accused of posting racist tweets. In one, he said America’s biggest problems are marijuana abuse and Black people. He also called members of the LGBTQ community sick and demented, and he made disparaging remarks about Mexicans. Following a six month investigation, internal affairs found that Howell did indeed violate two counts of JSO’s social media policy, but they did not find evidence to prove that his bias affected the way he does his job,

A decision from Florida’s Board of Governors bans TikTok from school-owned devices and public Wi-Fi on public university campuses across the state.

Meta, the parent company for Facebook and Instagram, has announced a new paid verification subscription service for its users.

Sadie Tillis Elementary School was placed on lockdown Thursday morning because of a “credible” social media threat, prompting buses to be diverted and a warning to families to keep their students home until further notice.

Two Bishop John J. Snyder High School baseball players were arrested Monday in connection with threats made toward their African American teammate, according to reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Bishop John J Synder High School boy's Baseball team were the 2022 3A District Two Champions. But now, the team is in the limelight of social media for alleged racist comments and threats against its only African American player.

Romanian authorities have seized four more luxury vehicles for a total of 15 that have been seized in the investigation into Andrew Tate.

Romanian authorities say that divisive social media personality Andrew Tate has been arrested on charges of human trafficking and rape.

In 2022, more people watched videos on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook than in years past. This led to News4JAX reaching more than 400 million people with our content.

The University System of Georgia is banning the use of TikTok, WeChat and Telegram on computers and phones owned by any of its 26 universities and colleges.

Increasing concerns are being raised over the video-sharing social media app TikTok, now among the most-downloaded and used apps of its kind in the United States.

The U.S. Senate has approved legislation to to ban the use of TikTok on government devices. Georgia and other states are either blocking or proposing to block TikTok on state devices, including college campuses.

While posting pictures of little ones can be a convenient way to share milestones with friends and family, there are some dangers parents should be aware of.

Grandfluencers are changing the face of Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

“My amazing husband started his day at 4:45 a.m. that morning and worked all day. Then drove straight to the arena to meet us and enjoy the game with our son! We are truly blessed with such an amazing man, and beyond thankful! We love our coal miner.”

More than 53 million people will be travelling for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, even more for Christmas.

The question, according to attorneys, is whether the state can prevent a tech company from hosting content that it deems inappropriate.

A new social media trend is encouraging young people to cook their poultry in the basic ingredients of Nyquil and other over the counter cough products.

Other posts to stay away from, misleading for false posts, offensive opinions on topical events, confidential information, posts that show you lied to your employer, racy posts, or posts that show illegal activity.

Consumer Reports reveals the TikTok privacy settings you should adjust right now.

Cybersecurity expert Chris Hamer recommends everyone have a particular mindset in place to avoid falling victim to get-rich-quick schemes online.

Kailee Boss hopes her story will help others.

“So far, I learned that being American is not just one thing,” Benhamou said.

Social media model Courtney Clenney has been arrested in Hawaii on a charge of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.

Thieves tear out the steering column behind a push-to-start button and use a simple USB cable to start the ignition. This affects Kia models from 2011 to 2021 and Hyundai models from 2015 to 2021. Both companies say 2022 vehicles have been modified to prevent this.

Twitter appears to be experiencing an outage for some users on Thursday.

A new social media law took effect in Florida Friday. The law takes aim at social media companies silencing political candidates.

To many parents, an Xbox is just a gaming system. But in reality, the Xbox is a computer much like a desktop hard drive.

A Jacksonville teenager has been arrested – accused of threatening to shoot up a local day care.

You have to meet Jonathan and Ben Carlin, if you’re not familiar with them already.

One call could save someone’s life.

We know the gunman who murdered 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school made chilling posts on social media. There are a lot of people blasting social media for glorifying violence and adding to the threat our children face.

Florida lawmaker Randy Fine drew criticism Wednesday after tweeting a message aimed at President Joe Biden who called for the nation to act after a gunman shot and killed at least 19 children at a Texas elementary school.

News4JAX Consumer Investigator Lauren Verno sat down with OnDefend Security CEO Chris Freedman to discuss the differences between two popular social media problems circulating the cyber world: cloning and hacking.

A Florida law intended to punish social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter for allegedly discriminating against conservative thought is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday that Florida stands to make a $15 to $20 million profit once Elon Musk completes his purchase of Twitter for $44 billion and takes it private.

We’ve all been there: You’re trying to go to bed, but you can’t stop scrolling past the endless number of videos on TikTok.

Days after News4JAX reported about an Instagram page labeled as coming from Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts that included photos of students using the bathroom, the page’s content was removed from the social media platform.

Your children's safety is your top priority, but there's a fine line to walk when protecting them, especially when it's time for their first cellphone. You want to trust them, but how do you also battle the pitfalls of social media, possible bullying and your child's curiosity?

Not even a day after authorities said a University of North Florida student threatened a mass shooting on social media, another threat was made on the same app. This time, it was at the University of Florida.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said it’s made an arrest following a string of social media threats that have been made against schools across the country.

Samantha Bush created the Instagram account @BravoHistorian on a whim, just looking for an outlet to share her opinions about all the ridiculous reality TV shows on the Bravo network.