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Over 50 Child Advocacy Groups Unite to Demand App Store Accountability

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — More than 50 child advocacy organizations have joined forces to form the Digital Childhood Alliance to urge lawmakers to help parents protect their children online by passing commonsense legislation. The coalition is calling for the passage of the App Store Accountability Act across the country. The coalition represents a broad consensus among experts, parent advocates, and child protection groups who see this bill as critical for online youth safety.

“This is a turning point,” said Dawn Hawkins, senior advisor to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). “For years, app stores have turned a blind eye to child safety, allowing kids to download apps, enter into exploitative contracts they don’t understand, and share personal data—all without parental consent. Lawmakers now have a clear path forward, backed by a coalition of experts who agree: The App Store Accountability Act is vital to creating a safer online environment for American youth.”

A Unified Push for Reform

The launch of this coalition comes at a critical moment, as momentum builds in multiple states for app store youth safety. The App Store Accountability Act is advancing in Utah and Alabama right now, with bills also introduced in Alaska, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Hawaii. Several other states are expected to introduce similar legislation in the coming months.

“The time for action is now,” said Melissa McKay, a device and online safety expert. “Nearly 90% of teens use an iPhone, yet Apple treats child safety as an afterthought. The company that sets the standard for innovation refuses to apply the same functional elegance to its protections for kids, burying ineffective tools under layers of menus while profiting from children’s easy access to predatory apps. Apple has the power to lead on child safety but chooses inaction, leaving children unprotected in a digital world designed to exploit them.”

The coalition is urging lawmakers across the country to move swiftly to pass the bill and end the widespread exploitation of children by app stores.

Provisions of the App Store Accountability Act

The App Store Accountability Act is designed to restore parental oversight, improve transparency, and hold app stores accountable for misleading families. It introduces three key reforms:

Parental Approval for App Downloads and Purchases: App stores are required to obtain verifiable parental consent before minors can download apps or make in-app purchases, protecting children from privacy risks, financial harm, and unenforceable contracts.Accurate and Transparent Age Ratings: App age ratings must reflect actual content and in-app experiences. Parents and state Attorneys General are empowered to take legal action against misrepresented app safety disclosures.Secure Age Verification: App stores must securely share verified age categories with apps, enabling developers to comply with laws like COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) and provide in-app experiences consistent with their stated age ratings, enhancing safety and simplifying compliance.

“App stores are exposing children to risks while hiding the fine print,” said Michael Toscano, Executive Director of the Institute for Family Studies. “Children can download a video chat app that connects them with strangers while sharing their exact location, an online pharmacy that sells medications, or a payment platform – use it for a few hours, delete it, and their parents would never know. This bill closes that loophole. It is time to enact common-sense legislation to protect children.”

A Moment for Lawmakers to Step Up

Despite increasing public concern about children’s exposure to harmful content online, app stores have largely escaped scrutiny despite their centrality to everything that goes on across the digital landscape.

“The App Store Accountability Act brings us closer to a future where digital gatekeepers are held to the same standards as any responsible institution,” said Joel Thayer, President of the Digital Progress Institute. “Imagine if a bank let 14-year-olds take out high-interest loans, sign up for investment schemes, or connect with foreign business partners, while hiding the risks from parents. That would be unthinkable. But in the digital world, this is exactly what’s happening every day. It’s past time to hold app stores accountable.”

With bipartisan support and growing momentum, the coalition is calling on lawmakers to prioritize child safety and pass the App Store Accountability Act without delay.

Digital Childhood Alliance members:

3Strands Global Foundation

A Butterfly Gets Her Wings Back LLC

Addo Recovery-Washington

All Girls Allowed, Inc.

American Principles Project

American Youth Association

ANEW Life International

Better Screen Time

Better Tech Project

Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition

Bowman Therapeutics

Breaking Generational Cycles

Chains Interrupted

CORAFID Centre for Innovation and Research

Defend Young Minds

Digital Progress Institute

Dr. Jill Manning, PLLC

Elijah Rising

Family Policy Alliance

Greenway Recovery

Guided Purposes, LLC

Hannah’s Hope

Heritage Foundation

Hookers For Jesus

Innocence en Danger – Sellier

KIDS TOO

Kingdom Forerunners

 

Lynn’s Warriors

National Center on Sexual Exploitation

NC Stop Human Trafficking

No Trafficking Zone

Nurses United Against Human Trafficking

Parents Who Fight

Paving the Way Foundation

Protect Young Eyes

Refuge for Women Chicago

Restore the Child, PLLC

Runaway Girl

Scrolling 2 Death

Society for the Improvement of Rural People (SIRP)

Street Grace

Survivor Leader Network of San Diego

The Hope Foundation

The Institute for Family Studies

The Stop Trafficking Project®

Tin Man Ministries

Trafficking in America Task Force

Transformation Garden

Unto You & to Your Children/Revelation & Restoration

Vessels of Mercy International, Inc.

Walk Her Home

Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force

Zoe Ministries of Delaware

To learn more about the Digital Childhood Alliance, please visit www.digitalchildhoodalliance.org

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SOURCE Digital Childhood Alliance

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HelloNation Article Highlights Sterile Compounding and Medication Safety With Insights From Compounding Pharmacist Expert Laura Temple

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The article explains how sterile compounded medications are prepared to reduce the risk of contamination and support safe, customized treatments.

AZLE, Texas, July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What does sterile compounding mean for medication safety? HelloNation has published an article explaining how sterile compounding helps pharmacies prepare highly specialized medications while adhering to strict contamination-prevention procedures.

The article features insights from Laura Temple, Compounding Pharmacist Expert and Owner of Laura’s Pharmacy in Azle, Texas. It explains that sterile compounding is a specialized process for preparing medications in carefully controlled environments designed to reduce the risk of contamination. Sterile compounded medications are often used for injections, eye drops, IV medications, and other therapies that require the highest levels of cleanliness and precision.

The HelloNation article explains that sterile compounded medications differ from commercially manufactured drugs because they are prepared individually for a patient’s unique medical needs. Physicians may prescribe compounded prescriptions when a patient requires a customized dosage, a combination medication, or a treatment not commercially available. Because these medications often bypass the body’s natural defenses, medication safety depends on strict preparation standards throughout the compounding process.

The article describes how pharmacies that provide sterile compounding rely on cleanroom environments equipped with filtered-air systems, specialized equipment, and contamination-prevention protocols. Pharmacists and technicians follow detailed gowning, sterilization, and handwashing procedures before handling medication ingredients. These measures are designed to support medication safety by limiting exposure to bacteria, particles, and other contaminants.

According to the article, environmental monitoring also plays a critical role in sterile compounding. Temperature control, air quality testing, and routine equipment inspections help maintain consistent preparation standards. The article notes that sterile compounded medications may undergo additional quality assurance checks before being dispensed to patients. These procedures help support both treatment effectiveness and patient safety.

The HelloNation article also explains that pharmacies performing sterile compounding are expected to follow USP guidelines established for sterile preparation. These USP guidelines outline requirements for cleanroom pharmacy operations, environmental testing, employee training, and quality assurance practices. The article emphasizes that maintaining compliance with USP guidelines helps reinforce contamination prevention and consistent preparation standards for compounded prescriptions.

Patients seeking sterile compounded medications may also look for pharmacies that participate in accreditation programs or are overseen by state boards. The article explains that these programs review safety procedures, documentation practices, and facility standards to help maintain medication safety. Regular environmental monitoring and staff competency evaluations are also identified as important safeguards in sterile compounding operations.

The article further explains that communication between pharmacists, healthcare providers, and patients remains an important part of safe compounded prescriptions. Compounding pharmacists review prescriptions carefully, confirm dosing instructions, and evaluate ingredient compatibility before preparation begins. This collaborative approach supports medication safety by reducing the risk of errors and ensuring treatments meet individual patient needs.

The article concludes that sterile compounding continues to play an important role in healthcare, particularly for patients requiring customized therapies that are unavailable through traditional manufacturing channels. Whether preparing IV medications, injectable therapies, or other sterile compounded medications, pharmacies rely on contamination prevention procedures and strict preparation standards to support patient care. The article notes that understanding how sterile compounding works can help patients feel more informed about the safety measures involved in preparing specialized medications.

What Sterile Compounding Means for Medication Safety features insights from Laura Temple, a compounding pharmacist expert at Laura’s Pharmacy in Azle, Texas, on HelloNation.

About HelloNation

HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hellonation-article-highlights-sterile-compounding-and-medication-safety-with-insights-from-compounding-pharmacist-expert-laura-temple-302831275.html

SOURCE HelloNation

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CIOs Forced to Rethink Manual Compliance Processes as Regulatory Complexity Rises, Says Info-Tech Research Group

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Regulatory demands are increasing in volume, complexity, and speed, leaving many organizations reliant on fragmented, manual approaches that slow response times and increase risk. New insights from Info-Tech Research Group show that organizations need to adopt more structured and scalable approaches to keep pace with regulatory change. The firm’s recently published blueprint, Build a Regulatory IT Response Engine, provides frameworks, tools, and step-by-step guidance to help organizations translate regulatory requirements into actionable IT controls and prioritized initiatives.

ARLINGTON, Va., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Growing regulatory pressure across jurisdictions is forcing organizations to rethink how they interpret, prioritize, and execute compliance requirements. Many IT teams continue to operate with inconsistent processes and limited coordination, resulting in delayed initiatives and increased exposure to financial and reputational risk. Info-Tech’s blueprint, Build a Regulatory IT Response Engine, introduces a coordinated and repeatable approach to help IT leaders operationalize compliance and improve execution outcomes.

Info-Tech’s findings indicate that while organizations recognize the need for faster and more consistent regulatory response, they continue to face barriers such as fragmented interpretation of requirements, weak prioritization, and limited scalability. AI-enabled tools can help streamline analysis and accelerate response planning, but without a coordinated approach grounded in governance and human oversight, those benefits are difficult to realize.

“Regulatory response is becoming too complex to manage through disconnected, manual processes,” says Ahmad Jowhar, senior research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. “IT leaders need a repeatable way to interpret requirements, prioritize action, and use AI to accelerate planning without losing the governance and oversight needed to execute effectively.”

Key Challenges IT Leaders Face in Regulatory Response

Despite ongoing investments in compliance, organizations continue to face systemic challenges that hinder effective execution. Info-Tech’s blueprint highlights several areas where IT and compliance leaders struggle most:

Fragmented and manual processes that slow regulatory interpretation and response.Inconsistent application of regulatory requirements across teams and jurisdictions.Poor prioritization of IT initiatives, leading to missed deadlines and duplicated effort.Limited scalability to manage increasing regulatory volume and complexity.Misalignment between compliance activities and broader business priorities.

Info-Tech’s Framework for Building a Regulatory IT Response Engine

To address these challenges, Info-Tech recommends a structured, AI-enabled approach that improves consistency, speed, and scalability. The firm’s Build a Regulatory IT Response Engine blueprint outlines the following key priorities for IT leaders:

Define the regulatory landscape: Establish organizational context, governance structures, and a centralized inventory of applicable regulations.Translate requirements into IT controls: Use AI-enabled analysis and structured assessments to convert regulatory obligations into actionable controls.Prioritize IT initiatives: Align initiatives based on cost, effort, impact, and regulatory timelines to reduce execution risk.Build and communicate a roadmap: Develop a clear, resource-aligned roadmap to guide execution and stakeholder alignment.Establish a repeatable process: Continuously monitor, adapt, and refine regulatory response capabilities to maintain compliance over time.

Organizations that adopt this structured approach can move from reactive compliance efforts to a more proactive and scalable model that shortens response timelines, reduces manual effort, and strengthens execution.

The firm’s Build a Regulatory IT Response Engine blueprint includes practical tools such as a Regulation Inventory Tool, a Regulatory Response IT Action Plan Tool, a Communication Deck Template, and a Compliance Program Framework. By applying these resources, IT leaders can standardize regulatory responses, improve prioritization, and help ensure compliance initiatives are executed on time and in alignment with business priorities.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Info-Tech’s experts, including Ahmad Jowhar, and access to the complete Build a Regulatory IT Response Engine blueprint, please contact pr@infotech.com.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is the “get things done” partner for over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing leaders worldwide. The fastest growing research and advisory firm, Info-Tech enables leaders to make well-informed decisions and transform their organizations through AI, strategic foresight, step-by-step methodologies, practical tools, industry-leading advisory, and training programs. For nearly 30 years, tens of thousands of private and public organizations have trusted Info-Tech to lead their most important initiatives through periods of change and deliver outcomes that truly matter.

To learn more about Info-Tech’s HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm’s SoftwareReviews platform.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

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Atomera to Announce Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Host Webinar on Tuesday, August 4, 2026

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LOS GATOS, Calif., July 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Atomera Incorporated (NASDAQ: ATOM), a semiconductor materials and technology licensing company, announced today that it plans to release its second quarter 2026 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026.

The company will host a live video Zoom webinar at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, to discuss the results. The live webinar can be accessed through Atomera’s investor relations website at https://ir.atomera.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for 12 months. To pre-register for the webinar, use the following link.

https://atomera.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OJFbTWe1SIyV69LLdDadCw

About Atomera

Atomera Incorporated is a semiconductor materials and technology licensing company focused on deploying its proprietary, silicon-proven technology into the semiconductor industry. Atomera has developed Mears Silicon Technology™ (MST®), which increases performance and power efficiency in semiconductor transistors. MST can be implemented using equipment already deployed in semiconductor manufacturing facilities and is complementary to other nano-scaling technologies already in the semiconductor industry roadmap.  More information can be found at www.atomera.com 

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/atomera-to-announce-second-quarter-2026-financial-results-and-host-webinar-on-tuesday-august-4-2026-302830602.html

SOURCE Atomera Incorporated

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