Month: July 2024

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a pair of children’s online safety bills on Tuesday, designed to protect children from dangerous online content and hold tech companies more accountable for the harm that they cause.

The two bills in the package, which passed 91-3, are known as the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), and the Children’s and Teens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0).  They represent the most significant congressional action in decades to regulate social media’s impact on children and teens.

The bill package had been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or have otherwise been harmed by online content. If passed by the House, the bills will force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms frequently used by minors, requiring them to exercise “duty of care” and ensure that they generally default to the safest settings possible.

The bill would be the first major tech regulation package to move in a decade, and it could potentially pave the way for other bills that would strengthen online privacy laws or set parameters for the growing use of artificial intelligence. If the child safety bill becomes law, companies would be required to mitigate harm to children, including bullying and violence, the promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation and advertisements for illegal products such as narcotics, tobacco or alcohol.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has said he is “committed to working to find consensus,” while Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who wrote the bill with Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, said that the legislation is about allowing children, teens and parents “to take back control of their lives online,” adding that the message to big tech companies is that “we no longer trust you to make decisions for us.”

Several tech companies, including Microsoft, X and Snap, have supported the legislation. But NetChoice, a a tech industry group that represents X and Snap, along with Google, TikTok and Meta Platforms, called it unconstitutional.  A Meta spokesperson shared in a statement: “We support the development of age-appropriate standards for teens online, and appreciate KOSA’s attempt to create a consistent set of rules for the industry to follow. However, we think there’s a better way to help parents oversee their teens’ online experiences: federal legislation should require app stores to get parents’ approval whenever their teens under 16 download apps.”

Blumenthal and Blackburn have said they worked to find a balance between forcing companies to become more responsible for what children see online while also ensuring that Congress does not go too far in regulating what individuals post, due to First Amendment concerns. The bill also includes an update to child privacy laws that prohibit online companies from collecting personal information from users under 13, raising that age to 17.

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Police in the United Kingdom confirmed that a third young girl has died after a 17-year-old male went on a brutal stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the U.K.

Officers responded just before noon on Monday to reports of a stabbing at the Hart Space in Southport, a seaside town about 20 miles north of Liverpool. The local community center was holding a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop for children ages 6-11 when the incident occurred, according to Merseyside police. Two girls, 6-year-old Bebe King and 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, were killed, and nine other children were injured, police said. The Merseyside Police confirmed Tuesday that a third girl, 9-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, died on Tuesday morning in the hospital.  Five other children and two adults remain in critical condition at local hospitals.

The 17-year-old male suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and murder, and a knife was seized after the attack, with BBC News reporting that the suspect was born in Cardiff, Wales and moved to the Southport area in 2013.  Authorities are working to determine a motive in the rampage in Southport in northwest England.

In a message posted on social media Tuesday, Swift said she was “completely in shock” and still processing “the horror” of the attack, while expressing her sympathy at the loss of life: “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock. The loss of life and the innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”

As of Tuesday morning, a group of Taylor Swift fans had raised the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars to support the victims of the attack and their families. The fundraising page says the group is working with the regional Alder Hey Children’s Charity, “and raising funeral funds for the two young Swifties who have tragically passed.”

Police said the attack is not being treated as terror-related, and they are not looking for any other suspects. Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said (per the Associated Press):  “We believe the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked,”

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the stabbing spree “horrendous and deeply shocking..my thoughts are with all those affected. I would like to thank the police and emergency services for their swift response. I am being kept updated as the situation develops.”

Prince William and his wife Catherine said that “as parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.”

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On Monday, President Joe Biden called for major changes to the Supreme Court, including a constitutional amendment that would limit immunity for presidents, impose term limits for justices and stipulate an enforceable code of ethics.

Biden wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post that “no one is above the law .. Not the president of the United States, not a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. No one,” and added: “I served as a U.S. senator for 36 years, including as chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. I have overseen more Supreme Court nominations as senator, vice president and president than anyone living today. I have great respect for our institutions and separation of powers. What is happening now is not normal, and it undermines the public’s confidence in the court’s decisions, including those impacting personal freedoms. We now stand in a breach.”

Biden called for a constitutional amendment saying former presidents don’t have any immunity from federal criminal indictments, trials, convictions or sentencing: “I share our founders’ belief that the president’s power is limited, not absolute. We are a nation of laws — not of kings or dictators.”  The Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents cannot be prosecuted for “official acts” during their time in office, in a ruling stemming from a case concerning former President Donald Trump. Presidents can still be prosecuted for unofficial criminal behavior.

Biden also shared his support for Congress to create term limits for Supreme Court justices, saying he favors 18-year terms: ‘Term limits would help ensure that the court’s membership changes with some regularity, and reduce the chance that any single presidency radically alters the makeup of the court for generations to come.”  Biden also called on Congress to make the Supreme Court subject to the kind of enforceable ethics requirements imposed on other federal judges regarding gifts, political activities and financial dealings: “This is common sense ..The court’s current voluntary ethics code is weak and self-enforced.”

Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Monday that she supports the proposed changes because the Supreme Court faces a “clear crisis of confidence” from the American people:  “In the course of our Nation’s history, trust in the Supreme Court of the United States has been critical to achieving equal justice under law. President Biden and I strongly believe that the American people must have confidence in the Supreme Court. These popular reforms will help to restore confidence in the Court, strengthen our democracy, and ensure no one is above the law.”

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Police officials in Rochester, NY announced at a news conference Monday that a second person has been confirmed dead following a mass shooting at a city park in upstate New York on Sunday evening. Investigators were still trying Monday to determine what prompted the violence and who was responsible, with police sharing that multiple weapons were fired.

The deceased victims were identified as Tyasia Manning, a 25-year-old city employee, who died from her injuries on Sunday; and 34-year-old Phylicia Council who succumbed to her injuries a few hours later. In addition to the fatalities, five other people were shot, and taken to nearby hospitals. Those victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

According to Rochester Police Chief David Smith, gunfire erupted around 6:20 p.m. in Maplewood Park, where hundreds of people were gathered for a barbecue. Police said the gathering there had been advertised with flyers, and while they did not specify the occasion, the organizers were not required to obtain a permit from the city in advance. Smith said at some point during the barbecue, “rounds were fired from multiple weapons;” he called on witnesses to come forward with information: “There were hundreds of people at this barbecue, and therefore, there are hundreds of people who have potential information to help us solve this crime. Once again, I am asking our community to step up and help to hold those who shot into a crowd, killing two women, accountable for their cowardly actions.”

Rochester Police Capt. Greg Bello said he did not know what led to the shooting at Maplewood Park or if one or more shooters were involved. He said it appeared to be a peaceful day at the park where families and friends had gathered to picnic when shots ran out. Bello said that authorities are looking for one or possibly more people who left the scene at the time of the shooting: “Everyone was out barbecuing, having a good time, [when someone] decided to pull out a gun for whatever reason. Obviously, that’s incredibly unacceptable in our society.”

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said at a press conference that before the violence, “people were in a celebratory mood, enjoying the warm weather, having a good time. Our people, our residents should be able to enjoy the summer in a park. Period. But all too often we have individuals in this community that are unmitigated cowards, that are OK with shooting women. And two of those women lost their life.”

As of press time, no suspects had been taken into custody. Police ask that anyone with information or video from the scene to call the Major Crimes Unit at 585-428-7157 or email MajorCrimes@CityofRochester.gov.

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The Park fire in Northern California has now burned more than 350,000 acres, with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) sharing in a statement on Sunday that crews have reached 12% containment as the blaze grew to more than 353,194 acres. Evacuation orders have been issued in Butte County, Plumas County, Shasta County and Tehama County with shelters opened for small and large animals.

Cal Fire said that 4,000 firefighters and other personnel are trying to stop the blaze with at least 134 structures having been destroyed and five others damaged. Improved weather conditions helped firefighters make progress since Saturday, when it was zero percent contained.

The massive Park Fire in California is suspected to have been started when an arsonist pushed a burning car into a gully on Wednesday, and continued to grow despite crews having attempted to contain the blaze. Cal Fire said: “The fire is actively burning in heavy, receptive fuel beds. This allows the fire to expand rapidly. Warm, windy, and dry conditions will increase risk of extreme fire activity, similar to what the fire has done previously,” adding that there would be higher temperatures and lower humidities Sunday.

So far, 66 structures have been destroyed, including homes and businesses, and five have been damaged. Authorities are currently flying aircraft over the fire to map its spread. Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement: “This is already one of the biggest fires in California history, and we’re continuing to see dangerous conditions. Our firefighters and emergency responders are working day and night to protect our communities. Californians must heed warning from local authorities and take steps to stay safe.”

Newsom has proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte and Tehama counties, and California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help in suppressing the fire: “We are using every available tool to protect lives and property as our fire and emergency response teams work around the clock to combat these challenging fires. Stay safe and remain alert for instructions from local authorities as dangerous fire weather conditions continue.”

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A 17-year-old was killed during a shooting inside a shopping mall in a suburb of Baltimore and Washington over the weekend. Police said that the shooting took place in the area of the food court at The Mall in Columbia in Howard County, Maryland on Saturday, with authorities stating that they received a call regarding gunfire in the food court area of the mall at about 6:10 p.m.

Howard County police state that officers found a male victim who was fatally shot, identified as Angelo Little of Columbia. Authorities stated that Little was killed by a suspect after at least one shot was fired “during an altercation between two people” in the mall’s food court area; police also determined that those involved in the shooting fled the mall, and detectives believe the victim was targeted. No arrests have been made, with police adding that the investigation is ongoing.

Police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said during a news conference Saturday evening: “We don’t believe that this was a random incident and we do believe the victim was targeted. We don’t have any information about a history of a relationship between the two, but based on our preliminary evidence, this was not a random incident.” Llewellyn said that police worked to identify who was involved in the incident and escorted shoppers out of the mall in small groups to ensure investigators spoke to all potential witnesses:  “There’s no safety reason, really, that we’re escorting them out rather than sort of opening the doors and letting everyone come out at once. It’s really for investigative reasons.”

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said: “I am aware of the ongoing situation at the Mall in Columbia. Our Howard County Police Department is actively investigating and will provide updates as information becomes available.”

The Mall in Columbia resumed normal operating hours on Sunday; they shared in a statement: “We are extremely upset that these individuals chose our center for a targeted act of violence. We pride ourselves on being a safe haven for the community to shop, dine and be entertained. Our center maintains a comprehensive and robust security program this is constantly being evaluated to meet the needs of our shoppers. We want to thank our security team and the Howard County Police Department for their swift response.”

Officials in Howard County are investigating the incident, with police offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information about the suspect or shooting. Anyone with information should contact police at 410-313-STOP or HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov.

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