today in tabs: MAGA will wage a *literal* holy war on AI before they regulate it, apparently
ALSO: CapCut adds LinkedIn integration, Americans are down on capitalism in a major way, the issues with Blueskyism, and more
Happy Tuesday, September 9th.
Just a reminder: every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.
Want to do a super fun, super cool rapid interview for this newsletter like this or this??? Reply to this email or hit the button below. Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, tea, etc?
And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), that would be so appreciated 🙏
Donald Trump Asks For $15 Donations to 'Get to Heaven'
The email presented past campaign events—including Trump's 2016 victory over Hillary Clinton, his impeachment acquittals, and ongoing legal battles—as part of a spiritual narrative that justified the fundraising appeal. (Newsweek, 9/5)
MAGA populists call for holy war against Big Tech
But although the tech industry is no longer perceived as actively censoring conservatives post-election, it’s as though it’s incapable of not running afoul of the cultural, intellectual, and religious values of social conservatives. Social media addiction and chatbots marketed toward kids, for instance, feed directly into right-wing panic over family values. (The Verge, 9/6)
JFK’s Grandson Takes First Step Toward Run for Jerry Nadler’s Seat
Former President John F. Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg announced on Sunday that he has formed a congressional exploratory committee, the first step towards a run for the seat being vacated by retiring New York Rep. Jerry Nadler. (NOTUS, 9/7)
Lucy’s note: This is the district I’m from… I really have no idea how to feel yet, but candidly, I am enjoying the intrigue.
Blue states that sued kept most CDC grants, while red states feel brunt of Trump clawbacks
In blue states, nearly 80% of the CDC grant cuts have been restored, compared with fewer than 5% in red states, according to the KFF Health News analysis. Grant amounts reported in an HHS database known as the Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System, or TAGGS, often don’t match what states confirmed. Instead, this analysis focused on the number of grants. (NBC News, 9/2)
Lucy’s note: This story is from last week, and y’all know I try to keep it more current than that – but I really wanted to share this as proof that resistance really does matter.
Meta suppressed research on child safety, employees say
The report is part of a trove of documents from inside Meta that was recently disclosed to Congress by two current and two former employees who allege that Meta suppressed research that might have illuminated potential safety risks to children and teens on the company’s virtual reality devices and apps — an allegation the company has vehemently denied. (WaPo, 9/8)
CapCut Adds New Features Including LinkedIn Integration
As you can see in the second image above, videos posted on LinkedIn will display a “Made with CapCut” message above the caption, but as LinkedIn notes, using CapCut for video editing will have no impact on content ranking via the feed algorithm. (SocialMediaToday, 9/8)
Anthropic Agrees to Pay Authors at Least $1.5 Billion in AI Copyright Settlement
Anthropic has agreed to pay at least $1.5 billion to settle a lawsuit brought by a group of book authors alleging copyright infringement, an estimated $3,000 per work. In a court motion on Friday, the plaintiffs emphasized that the terms of the settlement are “critical victories” and that going to trial would have been an “enormous” risk. (WIRED, 9/5)
Image of Capitalism Slips to 54% in U.S.
Democrats and independents view capitalism less positively this year, each showing eight-percentage-point declines since 2021. For the first time, less than half of Democrats (42%) view capitalism positively, while a slight majority of independents (51%) still do. (Gallup, 9/8)
Gen Z's gender divide reaches beyond politics and into its views on marriage, children and success
This high level of anxiety about the future is largely driven by young women. One-third of young women said they feel anxious “almost all of the time,” and an additional third reported being anxious “most of the time.” In contrast, just under 2 in 10 Gen Z men reported feeling anxious all of the time. (NBC News, 9/8)
A candle for nerds is blowing up online, again
“Boston Tea Party,” a bestselling blue candle with half-submerged “wooden crates,” smells like iced tea “because that’s what it smells like when you dump 46 tons of tea into Boston Harbor during a New England winter.” (The Hustle, 9/7)
Lucy’s note: Another reminder for me that I am just always delighted by The Hustle’s content lol
Scientists find a surprising reason why people are eating more sugar
For every 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit of warming, added sugar consumption in US households increased by 0.7 grams per person per day, the researchers found, with a marked escalation as temperatures hit between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. (CNN News, 9/8)
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Extra Credit 🤓
Some newsletters I thought were excellent recently:
“What is Blueskyism?” from
from Nate Silver“U.S. Open Orders Broadcasters to Censor Reactions to Trump” from
of“how to look at social media” from
of
This is where I usually put Google Search Trends… but I fear I have fallen down the Polymarket hole (not betting, but very much interested in how everyone is betting). So I am going to swap this in for now, moving forward! But don’t worry, Google Search Trends will still come back when relevant.
That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Friday!