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NYC Social Media Lawsuit Targets Big Tech Over Teens

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New York City has filed a sweeping federal lawsuit against Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok, accusing the tech giants of fueling a youth mental health crisis. The city claims these companies knowingly designed addictive platforms that exploit children and teens for profit, creating a “public nuisance” that burdens schools, hospitals, and law enforcement.

The 327-page complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges the platforms use manipulative algorithms that maximize engagement by targeting developing minds. NYC’s school districts and health department joined the lawsuit, arguing that the companies’ business models prioritize user retention over well-being, leaving minors exposed to harmful content and digital addiction.

The lawsuit highlights the role of social media in promoting dangerous trends such as “subway surfing,” which has resulted in at least 16 teen deaths, according to NYPD data. The deaths of two young girls, ages 12 and 13, while engaging in the stunt drew public outrage and renewed scrutiny of platform responsibility.

Survey data included in the filing shows 77.3 percent of NYC high schoolers spend three or more hours a day on screens. The city links this screen time to sleep deprivation and a spike in chronic school absences, now affecting over 36 percent of public school students. Officials argue that social media is directly undermining education and health in the nation’s largest city.

This lawsuit adds New York City to a growing coalition of states and municipalities seeking to hold Silicon Valley accountable. Over 2,000 similar lawsuits are in progress nationwide, accusing the same companies of exploiting minors through addictive technologies. With nearly 2 million children under age 18, New York City’s legal action marks one of the most significant government-led challenges to the unchecked power of Big Tech.

Jimmy Kimmel, Charlie Kirk Sparks Firestorm

Charlie Kirk
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Jimmy Kimmel is under renewed scrutiny after defending his controversial remarks about the assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk. In a recent interview, the ABC late-night host claimed his comments were “intentionally and maliciously mischaracterized” by conservative media and said he didn’t initially see a “big problem” with what he said on air.

Speaking with Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, Kimmel suggested he only realized the severity of the backlash after Disney and ABC temporarily pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air. When asked when he knew it had become a serious issue, Kimmel quipped, “I think when they pulled the show off the air,” prompting laughter from the audience. He also said he believed the outrage was the result of “distortion” by conservative media outlets rather than any wrongdoing on his part.

The controversy began less than a week after Charlie Kirk was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University. In his monologue, Kimmel implied that the killer may have been affiliated with the MAGA movement and mocked President Trump’s decision to order flags flown at half-staff. These remarks sparked outrage across the country, especially among those mourning the death of a man widely seen as a martyr for free speech.

The backlash was swift. ABC and its affiliates, including Nexstar, responded by removing Kimmel’s show from the air temporarily. Nexstar cited the need to maintain “respectful, constructive dialogue” during a volatile moment in national politics. The Federal Communications Commission also faced pressure to address the broadcast, with some accusing Kimmel of using his platform to further inflame political tensions.

When Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned, the host delivered what many criticized as a deflective, non-apologetic monologue. Instead of acknowledging the pain caused by his comments, Kimmel positioned himself as the victim of a political hit job. This further infuriated conservative viewers, including supporters of Kirk, who had become a powerful voice in the culture war and an outspoken defender of Christian and conservative values.

Charlie Kirk’s murder shocked the nation and was widely condemned. However, reactions from the left exposed a deep cultural divide, with some voices justifying or minimizing the killing. Kimmel’s remarks, made in the immediate aftermath of the assassination, were viewed as emblematic of a broader disregard among progressive elites for the lives and voices of those on the political right.

While Kimmel continues to deflect blame, the incident has highlighted the increasing hostility directed at conservatives in mainstream entertainment and media. The late-night comedy world, long a bastion of liberal commentary, appears to be doubling down, even in the face of national tragedy.

DOJ Charges Man Threatening Conservative Influencer

(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against a man accused of sending a threatening letter to conservative influencer Benny Johnson.

According to the complaint, George Russell Isbell mailed a letter to Johnson, expressing that the influencer needed “to be exterminated,” the DOJ explained. The letter referenced Charlie Kirk, who was a friend of Johnson’s.

Isbell wrote, “Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”

“Thanks to the incredible teamwork between state, local, and federal law enforcement, this coward hiding behind a keyboard was taken into custody and charged federally for mailing threatening communications,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “We cannot allow this political violence to continue any longer. This arrest will serve as a reminder to many – do not do this, we will find you and bring you to justice.”

“Benny is a well-known media personality, carrying a message very similar to Charlie’s. Grounded largely in faith and love of country. Just days after Charlie’s assassination, Benny received a letter at his home where he and Kate are raising their beautiful, beautiful young family,” Bondi said during a press conference on the matter. “The author of this letter made it very clear that he hated Benny because of his views, and he wanted Benny dead.”

Johnson said during the press conference: “The individual who wrote me described why he wanted me dead. I was a white, cis, Christian Trump supporter. They described in great detail how I would be killed in an open field just like Charlie. How much blood would come out of my head and neck when it would come off. This individual described orphaning my four children and widowing my beautiful wife with great joy.”

In a statement shared on X, Johnson declared, “Let me be absolutely clear: We will not be silenced. We will not back down. We will not break. You lit a fire that cannot be put out.”

Republican Purchases Dominion Voting Systems

Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

Scott Leiendecker, the former Republican elections director in St. Louis City, has purchased Dominion Voting Systems.

In a statement shared on the election technology’s website, called Liberty Vote,” Leiendecker said, “Today, I am proud to announce Liberty Vote — a 100% American-owned election technology company dedicated to restoring trust in our elections. Our mission is clear: every vote must be secure, fair, and verifiable.”

He explained that his commitment to strengthening the nation’s elections began in the “aftermath of the 2000 election, when I worked for the Missouri Secretary of State.” He later “led the effort to modernize outdated systems and rebuild public trust” in his role as Election Director in St. Louis.

Liberty Vote will begin the “vital work of restoring faith in American elections,” Leiendecker added. “While these changes will not happen overnight, Liberty Vote’s mission is rooted in American values and committed to transparency, independent audits, and verifiable paper records.”

Liberty Vote’s efforts support President Trump’s executive order bolstering election integrity. “Above all, elections must be honest and worthy of the public trust. That requires voting methods that produce a voter-verifiable paper record allowing voters to efficiently check their votes to protect against fraud or mistake,” the order says. “Election-integrity standards must be modified accordingly. It is the policy of my Administration to enforce Federal law and to protect the integrity of our election process.”

President Trump also signed an order targeting the law firm Susman Godfrey LLP (Susman), which represented Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

Qatari Air Force Base Coming to Idaho

Pete Hegseth
Pete Hegseth (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the United States will host a Qatari air force facility in Idaho.

“No one other than President Trump could have achieved the peace, which we believe will be a lasting peace, in Gaza, and Qatar played a substantial role from the beginning, working with our folks to make sure that came about, so I want to thank you for that historic peace,” Hegseth said, as per Newsweek, adding, “I’m also proud that today we’re announcing – we’re signing a letter of acceptance to build a Qatari Emiri air force facility at the Mountain Home Airbase in Idaho.”

“The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability – it’s just another example of our partnership,” he said.

In September, President Trump signed an executive order to ensure the security of Qatar. “Over the years, the United States and the State of Qatar have been bound together by close cooperation, shared interests, and the close relationship between our armed forces. The State of Qatar has hosted United States forces, enabled critical security operations, and stood as a steadfast ally in pursuit of peace, stability, and prosperity, both in the Middle East and abroad, including as a mediator that has assisted the United States’ attempts to resolve significant regional and global conflicts,” the order states.

“In recognition of this history, and in light of the continuing threats to the State of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of the United States to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar against external attack,” it continues.

In May, Qatar Airways signed a deal to purchase 160 Boeing jets. “This is Boeing’s largest-ever widebody order and largest-ever 787 order,” the White House said.

Los mensajes en línea pro demócratas y las imágenes perturbadoras del sospechoso de incendio intencional en Palisades.

Fire (Issy Bailey/Unsplash)

El sospechoso de incendio intencional en Palisades, Jonathan Rinderknecht, de 29 años, está acusado de provocar el enorme incendio que arrasó Los Ángeles a principios de este año, mientras utilizaba las redes sociales para difundir retórica anti-Trump y publicaciones alarmistas sobre el cambio climático.

Según los fiscales, Rinderknecht subió a las colinas sobre Los Ángeles el 1 de enero y prendió fuego deliberadamente a la maleza, incendio que luego se reavivó y destruyó más de 7.000 viviendas y negocios, mató a 12 personas y arrasó casi 24.000 acres. Los daños se estiman en unos 150 mil millones de dólares.

Antes del incendio, Rinderknecht publicaba con frecuencia sobre el cambio climático, se burlaba de los conservadores y promovía el veganismo. Compartió un artículo de 2020 titulado “El cambio climático obligará a una nueva migración estadounidense”, que incluía una foto de incendios forestales en California, inquietantemente similar a la catástrofe de la que ahora se le acusa.

Otras publicaciones durante las primarias presidenciales demócratas de 2020 respaldaban a los entonces candidatos Kamala Harris y Joe Biden. En una publicación compartió un artículo titulado “La senadora Kamala Harris dice que la carne está destruyendo el planeta”, mientras que otro advertía: “Las plataformas de hielo de la Antártida han perdido millones de toneladas métricas de hielo”. Rinderknecht también volvió a publicar un mensaje de Joe Biden en el que afirmaba que la respuesta de Trump a la pandemia “destruyó” la economía.

En una imagen perturbadora, aparecía “con los ojos desorbitados y la boca abierta, con el rostro pintado como una calavera y cubierto de sangre”. Los fiscales aseguran que incluso creó imágenes generadas por IA de “ciudades en llamas con multitudes huyendo de la destrucción”.

La ironía, señalan las autoridades, es que Rinderknecht solía culpar al calentamiento global de los incendios forestales, antes de presuntamente provocar uno de los incendios más mortales y destructivos de la historia de California.

Johnson aumenta la presión sobre los demócratas ante el cierre del gobierno mientras crecen las preocupaciones en el Partido Republicano.

mike johnson tax cuts
House Speaker Mike Johnson (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

El presidente de la Cámara de Representantes, Mike Johnson (republicano por Luisiana), se mantiene firme en su estrategia de presionar a los demócratas del Senado para poner fin al cierre del gobierno, que ya entra en su décimo día. Sin embargo, algunos legisladores republicanos comienzan a mostrarse inquietos mientras el estancamiento se prolonga.

En una llamada privada el jueves, Johnson informó a los republicanos de la Cámara sobre el estado de las negociaciones, según Fox News Digital. Aunque la mayoría apoyó su decisión de mantener la Cámara fuera de sesión hasta que los demócratas del Senado acepten votar, varios expresaron su preocupación por la imagen que da mantenerse alejados de Washington.

Los representantes Jay Obernolte (republicano por California) y Julie Fedorchak (republicana por Dakota del Norte) instaron a Johnson a reanudar las sesiones la próxima semana, argumentando que “es perjudicial seguir manteniendo la Cámara fuera de sesión”. Johnson reiteró que los legisladores recibirían un aviso de 48 horas antes de regresar, pero no se comprometió a hacerlo de inmediato.

El presidente de la Cámara también rechazó una votación independiente para pagar al ejército durante el cierre, calificándola como una maniobra demócrata para obtener “cobertura política”. Los críticos, incluida la representante Jen Kiggans (republicana por Virginia), advirtieron que las tropas podrían no recibir sus cheques de pago del 15 de octubre si el estancamiento continúa.

Mientras tanto, también crece la frustración por las reglas del Senado. Los representantes John Rutherford (republicano por Florida) y Tom Barrett (republicano por Míchigan) cuestionaron por qué los republicanos del Senado no han utilizado la “opción nuclear” para eludir a los demócratas y financiar al gobierno. Johnson, sin embargo, defendió el filibusterismo del Senado, advirtiendo que eliminarlo podría volverse en contra si los demócratas recuperan el poder.

El cierre comenzó después de que los demócratas del Senado rechazaran la resolución continua (CR, por sus siglas en inglés) de los republicanos siete veces. Los republicanos afirman que su propuesta mantiene abierto el gobierno hasta el 21 de noviembre y protege las prioridades nacionales, mientras que los demócratas exigen concesiones en materia de salud y otros gastos internos.

Por ahora, Johnson apuesta a que la presión política —y no el compromiso— obligará a los demócratas a sentarse a la mesa.

Homeland Security Commits Billions for ‘Smart Wall’ Border Construction

deported
Border wall panels (Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)

The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that 10 new construction grants have been approved, totaling an estimated $4.5 billion. The grants will contribute to the addition of hundreds of miles of Smart Wall.

According to CBP, the Smart Wall is a border security system that utilizes “steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and advanced detection technology to give Border Patrol agents the best tools in the world to stop illegal traffic.” The projects will add 230 miles of Smart Wall and nearly 400 miles of new technology.

A Smart Wall FAQ page says the wall’s goal is to “gain operational control of the border.” The barriers “are intended to provide persistent impedance and denial to illegal cross-border activity,” while “complementary investments in roads, lighting and technology address domain awareness and access and mobility requirements of Border Patrol agents.”

The contracts will affect the border areas of San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Del Rio, and the Rio Grande Valley.

“For years, Washington talked about border security but failed to deliver. This President changed that,” CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said in a statement. “The Smart Wall means more miles of barriers, more technology, and more capability for our agents on the ground. This is how you take control of the border.”

Earlier this year, the Trump administration secured border wall materials sent to an auction house under the Biden administration.

Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS), said at the time, “Rather than associate with any aspect of President Biden’s weak border policies, GovPlanet has chosen to put the American people first and return border wall construction materials so they can finally be used to secure our border.”

Al descubierto: la hipocresía de la izquierda se muestra plenamente ante el acuerdo de paz de Trump con Hamás.

Ilhan Omar
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Los legisladores demócratas y los activistas progresistas pasaron dos años exigiendo un alto el fuego entre Israel y Hamás. Pero ahora que el presidente Donald Trump ha logrado uno a través del acuerdo de paz de Trump, esos mismos críticos lo están atacando, afirmando, sin pruebas, que Israel pronto violará el acuerdo.

El desacreditado ex presentador de MSNBC, Mehdi Hasan, expresó su enojo en X, escribiendo: “Me encanta que vivamos en un mundo donde ahora se supone que debemos alabar a Trump por su labor pacificadora e ignorar el hecho de que al menos 20.000 palestinos han sido asesinados bajo su mandato.” Hasan también afirmó que Israel reanudará los combates una vez que se liberen los rehenes, diciendo: “Literalmente no hay nada ni nadie que impida a Netanyahu e Israel reanudar la guerra/genocidio una vez que recuperen a todos los rehenes.”

El acuerdo de paz de Trump exige que Hamás se desarme y libere a los 48 rehenes israelíes. Sin embargo, figuras de la izquierda radical como la funcionaria de la ONU Francesca Albanese, el escritor antisionista Peter Beinart y el vicepresidente del Instituto Quincy, Trita Parsi, ya han cuestionado su legitimidad. Albanese se burló del cumplimiento de Israel escribiendo: “’Alto el fuego’, en el diccionario de Israel: tú cesas, yo disparo.”

Parsi dijo a CNN que el acuerdo podría convertirse en “un desastre” si Israel lo limita a “solo un alto el fuego”. Beinart insistió: “Nunca habrá una paz real… hasta que los palestinos sean libres.”

Mientras tanto, la congresista demócrata Ilhan Omar pidió que Israel sea procesado por “crímenes de guerra”, incluso cuando los rehenes se preparan para regresar a casa bajo el acuerdo.

A pesar de la indignación de los críticos, el acuerdo de paz de Trump marca el primer alto el fuego integral que ambas partes han aceptado desde que Hamás lanzó sus ataques terroristas del 7 de octubre de 2023, que causaron la muerte de más de 1.200 israelíes.

Seguridad Nacional destina miles de millones para la construcción de un muro fronterizo “inteligente”.

deported
Border wall panels (Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images)

El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional y la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos (CBP, por sus siglas en inglés) anunciaron que se han aprobado 10 nuevos contratos de construcción por un total estimado de 4.500 millones de dólares. Estos fondos contribuirán a la adición de cientos de millas del llamado “Muro Inteligente”.

Según la CBP, el Muro Inteligente es un sistema de seguridad fronteriza que utiliza “barreras de acero, barreras acuáticas, carreteras de patrullaje, luces, cámaras y tecnología avanzada de detección para proporcionar a los agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza las mejores herramientas del mundo para detener el tráfico ilegal”. Los proyectos añadirán 230 millas de muro inteligente y casi 400 millas de nueva tecnología.

Una página de preguntas frecuentes sobre el Muro Inteligente señala que el objetivo del muro es “obtener control operativo de la frontera”. Las barreras “tienen la intención de ofrecer un impedimento y una negación persistentes a la actividad ilegal transfronteriza”, mientras que “las inversiones complementarias en carreteras, iluminación y tecnología abordan la conciencia situacional y los requisitos de acceso y movilidad de los agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza”.

Los contratos afectarán las áreas fronterizas de San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Del Rio y el Valle del Río Grande.

“Durante años, Washington habló sobre la seguridad fronteriza pero no cumplió. Este presidente cambió eso”, dijo en un comunicado el comisionado de la CBP, Rodney Scott. “El Muro Inteligente significa más millas de barreras, más tecnología y más capacidad para nuestros agentes en el terreno. Así es como se toma el control de la frontera.”

A principios de este año, la administración Trump recuperó materiales para el muro fronterizo que habían sido enviados a una casa de subastas bajo la administración Biden.

El presidente del Comité de Servicios Armados del Senado, Roger Wicker (R-MS), declaró en ese momento: “En lugar de asociarse con cualquier aspecto de las débiles políticas fronterizas del presidente Biden, GovPlanet ha decidido poner al pueblo estadounidense en primer lugar y devolver los materiales de construcción del muro fronterizo para que finalmente puedan usarse para asegurar nuestra frontera.”

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