Homeschool Surge Continues in Arkansas

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The number of homeschoolers in Arkansas has more than doubled over the past ten years and is on track to go even higher.

In 2016, there were 19,520 homeschoolers across the state. By 2023, homeschooling had surged to nearly 30,000 students. And now official reports from the Arkansas Department of Education show that 40,470 children filed as homeschoolers during the 2026 school year.

One reason for the recent surge in homeschooling may be the Educational Freedom Account (EFA) program that Arkansas established under the LEARNS Act in 2023.

The EFA program makes it possible for students to use public funds to pay for an education at a public or private school or at home. Thousands of homeschool students have taken advantage of the program and test scores show they are excelling.

Many families feel that public education has deteriorated over the years, and they don’t like the direction it is heading. For those families, the EFA program offers real alternatives that help their children succeed. That is part of the reason Family Council and its Education Alliance homeschool division have supported the EFA program.

The State of Arkansas seems to be getting more out of each education dollar invested in homeschooling through the EFA program than anywhere else. That’s good for everyone.

The number of homeschoolers in Arkansas has risen drastically over the past decade — but especially since 2023.

As more families make good use of the EFA program, we believe Arkansas’ homeschool numbers could go even higher in the coming school year.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Meta Settles Teen Social Media Addiction Lawsuits for $17 Billion

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On Wednesday, social media giant Meta — owner of Facebook and Instagram — agreed to settle a slate of lawsuits over teen social media addiction for a total of up to $17.1 billion. If approved in court, Arkansas would receive nearly $172.5 million.

It has been estimated that 95% of American teenagers use social media, and about one-third use it “almost constantly.” But in recent years, state attorneys general have filed lawsuits alleging social media platforms are addictive and harmful.

In 2023, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin sued Meta in state court for endangering children. In the lawsuit, his office alleged that platforms like Facebook and Instagram are built around algorithms intentionally designed “to exploit human psychology and foster addiction to maximize users’ screen time.” The A.G. says this exploitation is especially harmful for young users with developing brains.

Arkansas’ lawsuit against Meta was the first of its kind, but since then dozens of similar lawsuits have been filed against Meta, TikTok, and other tech giants.

In a statement, Attorney General Griffin called the settlement “historic,” saying, “I am immensely grateful to the incredible attorneys and other staff in my office who have invested countless hours working on this case and helped secure this historic result for Arkansas and its children.”

Meta settled the cases the week before CEO Mark Zuckerberg was set to take the stand in a landmark lawsuit that claims Meta routinely collected data on children under 13 without parental consent, in violation of federal law. The lawsuit also alleges the company knowingly designed its platforms to addict young users and hid what it knew about the harm its platforms caused.

Under this settlement, Meta will be required to shut teen accounts down overnight and limit how long kids spend on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta will also hide the “like” counts it built to keep kids hooked, and it will implement age verification and age-appropriate content controls.

The settlement does not include any admission of wrongdoing on Meta’s part or an apology to anyone who may have been harmed by Meta’s platforms.

It’s worth pointing out that courts in New Mexico and California have already found Meta liable for harming children on its platforms.

Social media giant TikTok has also found itself embroiled in controversies for failing to protect private user data from entities in China — including the Chinese Communist Party.

TikTok has also been accused of serving users a steady “diet of darkness” and violating laws intended to protect children online.

Tech platforms are multibillion-dollar for-profit corporations. The adults who own and profit from these businesses have a responsibility to protect their users — especially teenagers.

Children deserve proactive protection online. If tech companies won’t give children that protection, then it’s up to voters and elected officials to make sure they get it. Family Council appreciates Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin and the other state attorneys general who have gone to court to protect kids online.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Pennsylvania Attorney General Files Lawsuit Similar to Arkansas’ Against TikTok

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Earlier this month, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a lawsuit against social media giant TikTok. Sunday’s lawsuit is similar to a pair of consumer protection lawsuits Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed in 2023.

The Pennsylvania lawsuit alleges TikTok lies about how much harmful content appears on its platform — including sexual content, nudity, profanity, and drug use. Pennsylvania argues that underreporting helps the TikTok app maintain a 13+ age rating in app store instead of being rated 17+.

The lawsuit also alleges that the TikTok app is addictive by design, because TikTok profits from ad revenue as users spend more time scrolling on its platform.

“TikTok has built its empire based on a model of addictiveness at all costs, and expanded that empire using deception about what sort of content is viewable for kids,” Attorney General Sunday said in a statement. “This is not an indictment against modern technology, or a scolding assessment of social media as a whole — rather, this is an action to hold accountable a company that values dollars over mental wellness.”

Pennsylvania’s lawsuit against TikTok is very similar to a pair of consumer protection lawsuits Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed in 2023.

Attorney General Griffin’s legal complaints call the TikTok app “a Chinese ‘Trojan Horse’ unleashed on unsuspecting American consumers,” and highlight how TikTok fails to protect private user data.

His office argues that TikTok’s algorithm “force-feeds” objectionable content to users — including “illegal drug use, sex, violence, and self-harm.”

The A.G.’s team says that TikTok deceptively labeled its app as being appropriate for ages 13 and up when it really should have been rated 17+.

Attorney General Griffin’s office is still actively pursuing both lawsuits in Arkansas court.

TikTok has an estimated one billion users worldwide — including upwards of 135 million in the U.S. — making it one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Its Chinese-based parent company, ByteDance, has been valued at $300 billion.

But a growing body of evidence shows that social media platforms like TikTok may deliberately addict users, promote objectionable content, and put people’s personal information at risk.

Time and again, TikTok has come under fire for failing to protect private user data from entities like the Chinese Communist Party.

The social media giant has also been accused of serving users a steady “diet of darkness” online.

Social media platforms are more than just phone apps or websites. These are multibillion-dollar businesses, and the adults who profit from them need to be held accountable when they harm innocent people — especially teens.

Children deserve proactive protection online. If tech companies won’t protect children, then voters and policymakers must.

Family Council is not aware of any attorney general in America who is doing more to hold social media giants accountable and protect children online than Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin. It’s good to see other state leaders like Attorney General Dave Sunday standing up for kids as well.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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