Could TikTok actually get banned?
Also: You can now say "gay" in Florida schools, get paid to fight climate change, and is your do not disturb mode on 24/7?
Here’s what you need to know about the TikTok bill that passed in the House
➣ Is it really a ban?
It’s complicated. The House passed a bill called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act giving TikTok’s parent company ByteDance 165 days to divest or sell TikTok, or else it would be prohibited from U.S.-based app stores like Google and Apple. Lawmakers say it’s not a ban, but an attempt to make TikTok safer for Americans.
➣ Why is this happening?
TikTok’s parent company ByteDance is based in China. There are concerns that China’s government could access sensitive user data like location information, posing national security risks to the U.S., including the ability to interfere in our elections. TikTok says it’s spent more than $1 billion in steps to protect user data.
➣ Could this actually happen?
Not easily. The bill now must pass the Senate, where there are concerns about whether it’s constitutional. Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer hasn’t committed to bringing it to the floor for a vote. And TikTok would likely challenge the law in court, which has been successful in the past.
➣ Who could buy TikTok?
TikTok says the 6-month window would make it difficult to find a buyer and spin it off in time. Large tech companies probably won’t buy it because of antitrust laws that prevent tech giants from getting bigger. Plus it would require the approval of the Chinese government, which is opposed to a forced sale.
Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Thursday he’s putting together an investor group to buy TikTok.
➣ Who supports the legislation?
The bill easily passed the House in a 352 to 65 vote, with rare bipartisan support from party leaders Mike Johnson and Nancy Pelosi. See CNN’s breakdown of who passed it. President Biden supports it, though ironically his campaign launched a TikTok account last month in an effort to reach younger voters.
➣ Who is against the ban?
A peculiar alliance of far left and right politicians. Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok in 2020, is now opposed to a ban. He is being pressured by lobbyists and millions of his likely voters also use the app. Plus, he doesn’t like Mark Zuckerberg, who’s Meta would benefit from a TikTok ban.
Trump followers like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green are also opposed, as are progressive Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortes and Gen Z Rep. Maxwell Frost, who said the legislation was an infringement on First Amendment rights.
➣ What do those opposed say?
Many opposed says it would hurt the economy – creators and small business owners who rely on TikTok would suffer. The ACLU says a TikTok ban would have profound implications for American’s constitutional right for free speech.
Recent polls show Americans are split. A recent AP/NORC poll found 31% of adults favor the ban, while 35% are opposed. But among TikTok users, 73% are opposed.
In Florida, you can now say “gay” in schools in limited circumstances
In Florida, you can now say, “gay” in schools in limited circumstances.
A settlement was reached concerning the "Don't Say Gay" law, which bans teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through eighth grade.
The agreement clarifies the law, passed in 2022. It now says that while formal classroom instruction on these topics is still prohibited, casual conversations and references to LGBTQ+ topics by students and teachers are allowed.
A group of students, parents, and LGBTQ+ groups that sued Florida over the law say this clarity will reduce fear and discrimination caused by its ambiguity.
Dig deeper:
➡️ In states with laws targeting LGBTQ issues, school hate crimes quadrupled
School hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people have sharply risen in recent years, climbing fastest in states that have passed laws restricting LGBTQ student rights and education, a Washington Post analysis of FBI data finds. (Washington Post)
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🗞️ Nex Benedict’s death ruled as a suicide
Oklahoma’s medial examiner ruled the death of the nonbinary student the day after their fight inside a high school restroom a suicide. (AP)
View our previous video on Nex Benedict
🗞️ Schumer calls for Israel elections and slams Netanyahu
In his harshest criticism of Israeli’s prime minister yet, the Senate Majority leader called for Israelis to elect a new government to deal with the threat of Hamas. (Axios)
🗞️ AOC’s plan to end deepfake porn
She's co-leading the DEFIANCE Act, which would hold accountable those responsible for proliferation of nonconsensual AI-generated images and videos (via Rolling Stone)
About that Bread
💰 'Buy now, pay later' goes from niche to normal as young people use it for daily essentials
What started as a way to pay for concert tickets and vacations is now an ordinary tool Gen Z and millennial shoppers use for food, contact lenses and trash bags. (via NBC)
💰 Interns going above and beyond to land coveted internships
A Gen Z student is paying $10,000 to commute from NYU to Florida for an internship at the Ritz-Carlton—but says it’s worth it for the connections. (via Fortune)
💰 Nearly 50% of US parents financially supporting adult children, study finds
Soaring costs of food and housing forcing many to still rely on parents to cover expenses, as they risk retirement security (The Guardian)
College Corner
🎓 Former University of Maryland sorority member calls for abolishing Greek system, transparency on campus
With fraternities and sororities suspended on the UMD-College Park campus, a former sorority member is pulling back the curtain on abuses in Greek life (via CBS)
🎓 Some parents hiring "concierge moms" to help their kids at college
The service is aimed at students who are living far from home and parents who want someone on the ground locally to assist when needed. (via CBS)
🎓 Anonymous social apps face another reckoning as UNC System to ban Yik Yik, Fizz, Sidechat & Whisper
Anonymous social apps are in for a reckoning. Yes, again. (via Tech Crunch)
On the radar
📡 Public schoolers are paid $1,400 a pop to become social justice warriors
A California activist group is using taxpayer money to reward teens for learning how to fight for ‘racial justice.’ (The Free Press)
📡 What’s the price of a childhood turned into content?
In the unregulated world of vloggers, children are, for the most part, not entitled to a single cent they earn. Cosmopolitan spoke to creators—and a former kid influencer—to understand how this unusual family business actually works. (via Cosmopolitan)
📡 Kate’s photo scandal shows how hard it is for the UK monarchy to control its narrative
The scandal over Kate, Princess of Wales’ family snapshot is a new chapter in the thorny relationship between the media and Britain’s royal family. (via AP)
📡 You can start applying for the American Climate Corps next month
Biden is calling on Congress for an additional $8 billion in funding for the program. (The Grist)
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