X claims ownership of InfoWars’ account, blocks transfer to The Onion
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is contesting the transfer of InfoWars’ accounts as part of the site’s bankruptcy sale to satirical news outlet The Onion. The objection, based on X’s terms of service, argues the platform owns user accounts and requires its permission for their sale or transfer.
InfoWars, founded by Alex Jones, was auctioned after he was ordered to pay $1.5 billion in damages to families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims for falsely claiming the tragedy was a hoax.
The Onion placed the winning bid of $1.75 million, with the support of the Sandy Hook families. However, another bidder, First United American Companies, offered $3.5 million but alleged improper collusion in the auction process.
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In a court filing, X claimed its terms of service specify that accounts on the platform are licensed to users but remain the property of the company. X’s stance highlights broader implications for social media account ownership, potentially affecting millions of users. The platform clarified it does not oppose the sale of other InfoWars assets, such as its website or customer lists.
Jones and First United American Companies have also filed objections, accusing the trustee overseeing the sale of bias. The trustee denied the allegations, calling them baseless attempts to disrupt the auction. A bankruptcy judge is set to hold a hearing in December to determine whether the sale can proceed.
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The case underscores Elon Musk’s growing use of X’s platform for personal and political influence. Musk recently reassigned the dormant @America account to promote his pro-Trump super PAC, as part of his increasingly visible role in the president-elect’s administration.
The legal battle is expected to set a precedent for how social media accounts are treated in bankruptcy cases, with potential ramifications for the tech industry.
Cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah holding so far
The cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah marks a step toward peace in the Middle East, but what happens now in Gaza where Israel is still at war with Hamas? And rain or shine — but not wind — revelers get ready to celebrate in New York City at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024.
Cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah holding so far
A cease-fire deal between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon is holding, so far.
President Joe Biden announced the deal — which the United States and France helped broker — on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Israel and Hezbollah have agreed on an initial 60-day cease-fire, which sets the stage for a lasting truce.
Already, long-displaced residents of parts of Lebanon have started returning to their homes, hopeful the tenuous agreement will be extended beyond two months. That’s despite the Israeli military warning people to stay away from previously evacuated areas.
Israel has said if Hezbollah breaks the cease-fire agreement, it will attack.
Following the directive of the political echelon, the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon took effect at 04:00 today, and the IDF has been operating accordingly. IDF troops are stationed at their positions in southern Lebanon.
Over the past hour, the IDF identified a vehicle with…
During the 60-day truce, Hezbollah fighters are to retreat at least 25 miles from the border with Israel and Israeli forces will withdraw from Lebanese territory.
The agreement does not address the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, another Iran-backed militant group, in Gaza. However, Hamas has said it is ready for a truce.
“So, now Hamas has a choice to make,” President Biden said on Tuesday. “Their only way out is to release the hostages, including American citizens, which they hold. In the process, bring an end to the fighting, which would make possible a surge of humanitarian relief. Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.”
Biden told reporters he’s hopeful he’ll help achieve a cease-fire in Gaza before the end of his term in January. If not, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, though he has not yet said how.
Trump picks nominations for NIH, trade
President-elect Trump has kept busy this holiday week. On Tuesday night, he announced new picks to join his administration.
Among them, Trump nominated Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to serve as the director of the National Institutes of Health. As head of the NIH, the Stanford University professor would work alongside Trump’s pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Bhattacharya, who also has a doctorate in economics, became known for opposing lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 27, 2024
Trump also selected Jamieson Greer to lead the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Greer is no stranger to the department, having served as chief of staff to the trade representative during Trump’s first term — which saw tariffs imposed on Chinese goods and the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.
Greer served as a lawyer in the Air Force and is currently a partner in international trade at the law firm King and Spalding.
Both of these nominations will need Senate confirmation.
Australia’s House passes bill to ban kids under 16 from social media
The bill would make platforms such as Tiktok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to $50 million ($33 million USD) for failing to prevent young children from holding accounts.
Australia’s communications minister Michelle Rowland introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban children younger than 16 from social media, saying online safety was one of parents’ toughest challenges. pic.twitter.com/K0zui1wHLv
The legislation passed 102-13 in Australia’s House of Representatives and now moves on to the Senate. If the bill becomes law, social media companies would have one year to figure out how to implement the age restrictions before they are enforced.
More than 3,000 fake name-brand electric guitars seized in California
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it seized more than 3,000 fake electric guitars in Southern California. CBP said the knockoffs were destined for the e-commerce market, just in time for holiday gift shopping.
CBP said if the guitars were real, they would be worth about $18 million. Most of the fakes look like Gibson brand guitars, but some were supposedly from other well-known companies such as Fender.
Federal authorities would not release any details about suspects in the investigation or where the counterfeit guitars came from.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to go on, rain or shine
A Macy’s spokesperson told the New York Post the parade will proceed regardless of wet weather — good news for the expected 3.5 million people who will be along the parade route and the estimated 30 million watching at home. However, wind could pose a problem.
The spokesperson told the Post, “Based on the city’s guidelines, no giant character balloon will be operated when there are sustained wind conditions exceeding 23 miles per hour and wind gusts greater than 34 miles per hour on the parade route.”
So far, according to weather reports, the winds should not be a problem, and all 32 balloons should be able to fly. New ones this year include Minnie Mouse and Spider-Man, which is marking its return to the parade for the first time in a decade.
Happy Thanksgiving from Straight Arrow News
With Thursday being Thanksgiving, as you get ready to gather around the table with your family, we wanted to take this time for you to get to know ours a little better. In the video above, members of our Straight Arrow News team have special messages about what they’re thankful for this holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!
‘You’re not the media’: Axios CEO spars with Elon Musk over journalism on X
There is an “information war” taking place, according to Axios CEO Jim VandeHei. VandeHei made the declaration after giving an acceptance speech for winning a journalism award, where he also called out Elon Musk, the owner of X, who advocates for citizen journalism over traditional news outlets.
In his speech, VandeHei referenced Musk’s posts on X, where Musk declared, “You are the media now.”
“Our industry, make no mistake about it – I’m not going to sugarcoat it – everything we do is under fire. Elon Musk sits on X every day saying, ‘We are the media, or you are the media.’ My message to Elon Musk is bulls–t,” VandeHei said.
“You having a blue check mark, a Twitter handle, and 300 words of cleverness doesn’t make you a reporter,” he added.
In response to a clip of VandeHei’s speech on X, Musk posted, “Yeah, whatever. You are the media now, and the legacy media knows it.”
After the viral speech, VandeHei appeared on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” where hosts applauded his remarks.
“Slow clap, everyone. First of all, I gotta say, extraordinary content. It needed to be said. It continues to need to be said,” said host Joe Scarborough.
“I listen to so many reporters who feel like the industry is going to hell, that nobody trusts them, that they’re demoralized,” VandeHei said in response. “We don’t have time to be demoralized. We don’t have time to whine. We have to do our job.”
The media industry is undeniably undergoing a significant shift, as Straight Arrow News has reported.
Trump plans new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China over drugs, migrants
President-elect Donald Trump vows to hit Canada, Mexico and China with new tariffs on their products coming into the U.S. And TSA is laying out its expectations as the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024.
Trump plans new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, China over drugs, migrants
President-elect Donald Trump has announced some of the first executive orders he plans to issue on day one of his administration. Trump said he will make good on a campaign promise by raising tariffs on goods from China, Canada and Mexico – the latter two being the top trading partners of the U.S. – due to illegal border crossings and drugs entering the country.
Trump made the announcements Monday night, Nov. 25, on his Truth Social platform. He targeted Canada and Mexico first.
The president-elect said on his first day in office, he will impose a 25% tariff on all products coming into the United States from those two countries, which account for 30% of trade volumes. Trump said the tariffs will remain in effect until drugs, specifically fentanyl, and illegal immigrants stop crossing into the U.S.
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) November 26, 2024
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump said. “We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”
In a second post on Truth Social, Trump turned his attention to China, saying he’ll charge China an additional 10% above any other tariffs on all their products coming into the U.S.
While he said he has had many talks with Chinese officials about drugs being sent into the U.S., Trump said nothing has changed. He added, “Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers caught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before.”
Reaction has been coming in from the countries affected by Trump’s tariff plans.
Chinese Embassy Spokesperson Liu Pengyu said, “China believes that China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature. No one will win a trade or a tariff war.”
In a joint statement, Canada’s deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, and public safety minister, Dominic LeBlancr, said, “Canada and the United States have one of the strongest and closest relationships – particularly when it comes to trade and border security. Canada places the highest priority on border security and the integrity of our shared border.”
Ricardo Monreal, Mexico’s lower house leader for the ruling party, responded in a post on X, saying, “The imposition of a possible tariff on Mexican products goes against the United States–Mexico–Canada agreement and does not solve the common problems of the border between Mexico and the United States…escalating trade retaliation would only hurt the people’s pocketbooks.”
Scott Bessent, Trump’s nominee for treasury secretary — who says tariffs would not add to inflation — supports the move, but many economists forecast tariffs would increase prices for U.S. consumers.
The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimated over the summer the tariff plan Trump promised on the campaign trail, which included 60% tariffs on Chinese goods, would cost the typical U.S. household more than $2,600 a year.
A CNBC analysis said retail chains like Five Below and Dollar Tree, along with online outlet Wayfair, would be some of the most vulnerable companies when it comes to a trade war.
Meanwhile, multiple reports said President-elect Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday night following the social media posts. The reports said the two had a “good conversation” about trade and border security.
Federal judge dismisses Trump’s 2020 election interference charges
Special Counsel Jack Smith has dropped all federal charges against President-elect Trump in connection with attempting to overturn the 2020 election results. He filed the motion Monday and a federal judge granted it within hours.
A different judge had already dismissed the federal charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents. Smith was appealing that decision before he dropped those charges as well on Monday.
The Justice Department’s longstanding position that a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime is set to apply to Trump once he takes office again in January, which is why Smith decided to give up the cases against him.
On Truth Social, Trump posted, “I persevered, against all odds, and won.”
FBI agent acquitted in 2020 shooting arrested on sexual assault charges
An FBI agent has been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting two women, according to police in Montgomery County, Maryland. Authorities there also said they believe there might be other victims out there.
Valdivia is now suspended from the FBI pending the outcome of this case.
This is not his first brush with the law. In 2020, prosecutors charged Valdivia with attempted murder in an off-duty shooting on a metro train in Bethesda, Maryland. A Montgomery County jury found him not guilty in that case in 2022.
Macy’s says employee hid $154M in expenses, delays Q3 report
Macy’s said one employee intentionally created so many accounting inconsistencies it had to delay its quarterly report.
While the department store chain said it saw stronger-than-expected sales from July to October this year, it also discovered a now-former employee hid up to $154 million in expenses over nearly three years. The company said the issue was related to delivery expenses in one of its accrual accounts.
Macy’s delayed its third-quarter earnings report after the retailer said an employee hid up to $154 million in delivery expenses over several years, prompting an investigation https://t.co/7PlNTb2qp0
While the questionable expenses only account for a small fraction of the $4.36 billion in delivery expenses during that almost three-year period, the company found the errors to be significant enough to delay reporting its full quarterly earnings.
That report was originally set to be released Tuesday, Nov. 26. It has now been pushed back until Dec. 11.
TSA preparing for ‘busiest Thanksgiving ever’ for air travel
Thanksgiving travel is taking off and this year is expected to be another for the record books. The Transportation Security Administration said it’s ready for the rush and expects to screen 18.3 million people at U.S. airports from Tuesday through next Monday, Dec. 2.
Today we kick off our busiest travel week of the year! Flying to visit with family or friends? Start your packing with an empty bag. Leftover items from past adventures often include prohibited items. Unsure what’s allowed in your carry-on or checked bag? Send a DM to our @AskTSA… pic.twitter.com/kduiVqKY5a
The Sunday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 1, is expected to be the busiest day for air travel. The TSA estimates more than three million people are likely to pass through their checkpoints that day alone.
The word went viral after a video was posted on TikTok by user @JoolsLebron in August. Dictionary.com said demure saw a nearly 1,200% increase in usage in digital web media alone from January to the end of August, mainly attributed to the video.
The website said while demure was traditionally used to describe those who are reserved and quiet, the new usage seen on social media is meant to describe refined and sophisticated appearance or behavior.
Australian Parliament considers law banning kids under 16 from social media
Australia’s communications minister has officially introduced a law that would ban children under 16 from social media. If passed, the law would be the first of its kind in the world.
The communications minister said government research shows 95% of Australian caregivers say online safety is one of their “toughest parenting challenges.”
When introducing the bill, she also told Parliament almost two-thirds of Australian teens 14 to 17 years old have viewed “extremely harmful content” online, including posts involving drug abuse, suicide or self-harm and violence. She added a quarter have been exposed to content promoting unsafe eating habits.
The bill has wide political support and is expected to become law. Social media companies would have one year to figure out how to implement the age restriction, if passed.
The platforms would also face fines of up to AU$50 million if they misuse the personal information users give them for age verification purposes.
The age restriction law wouldn’t apply to messaging services, online games or platforms that “substantially support the health and education of users.”
A government statement added Australia is looking for ways to prevent children under 18 from accessing online pornography.
NFL unlikely to penalize players for performing ‘Trump Dance’ celebration
Several NFL players have recently adopted a new on-field celebration mimicking President-elect Donald Trump’s signature dance move, raising questions about whether the league would impose penalties for the gesture. However, NFL insider Jordan Schultz is now reporting on X that his sources have indicated the league will not step in to prevent the celebration.
“Since there has been speculation, President-elect Donald Trump’s signature dance, which several NFL players have adopted in celebrations, is not an issue for the league, according to sources,” Schultz wrote. “While the NFL has addressed celebrations in the past, my understanding is that they only take action against those deemed excessive or inappropriate. The Trump dance is good with the league office.”
This comes after San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa was fined earlier this month for wearing a pro-Trump hat during a postgame interview. The NFL made the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year pay out $11,255 over the incident, which the league claims violated their uniform and equipment rules.
Meanwhile, the dance move has become part of a broader trend with the Trump-inspired celebration having also been spotted in other major sports leagues, including the NCAA, UFC, LPGA and the CONCACAF Nations League.
Digital media may be fueling a global boredom crisis: Study
Despite constant access to entertainment, boredom is increasing worldwide, especially among young people. Researchers blame digital media for creating overstimulation, fragmented attention and shallow engagement that leaves people unfulfilled.
A new study published in Communications Psychology reveals that boredom levels among U.S. adolescents and Chinese college students have risen significantly in the past 15 years.
One survey of over 100,000 U.S. adolescents found a steady increase in self-reported boredom beginning in 2011, with girls being more affected than boys.
Similarly, Chinese college students scored 14% higher on the Boredom Proneness Scale between 2009 and 2020, indicating more frequent and intense boredom.
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Experts say digital media plays a significant role in this trend. Social media provides constant stimulation, but it’s often predictable, fragmented, and shallow, leaving users feeling unsatisfied.
Dr. James Danckert, a cognitive neuroscientist, explained that boredom serves an important purpose, it pushes people to explore the world and seek meaningful experiences. However, scrolling through digital feeds does not meet these needs, making life feel less engaging.
The study’s authors conclude that learning to handle boredom in a meaningful way is more important than ever, especially as digital media continues to dominate daily life.
1 in 5 Americans get their news from social media influencers
While it’s no secret more and more people have been getting their news from social media in recent years, a new study shows just how many people regularly forgo traditional journalism. According to the Pew Research Center, 21% of American adults say they prefer to get their news from social media “news influencers” first.
That’s especially true for people 18 to 29 years old; 37% of them said they do.
Pew classifies news influencers as people who regularly post about current events and civic issues on social media and have at least 100,000 followers.
The study found when it comes to their followers, there’s no real distinction between Democrats and Republicans, with 22% of Democrats and 21% of Republicans favoring news influencers.
When it comes to who Americans choose to get their news from, about two out of three news influencers are male. And about half of all influencers don’t express any clear political orientation.
Republican introduces transgender bathroom ban for Capitol Hill
History will be made four times over when the 119th Congress meets for the first time in just a few weeks. However, some current representatives introduced legislation to create a transgender bathroom ban that targets a new coworker.
In the House of Representatives, Sarah McBride will become the firstopenly–transgender person to be elected to Congress after winning Delaware’s only open House seat. Delaware will also see its first Black U.S. senator, who will simultaneously be the first woman to represent the state in the Senate. Maryland will also be represented by its first Black U.S. senator, and New Jersey will see the first Korean-American senator.
The measure would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.”
“Sarah McBride doesn’t get a say in this,” Mace said when asked by reporters whether the move was meant to target a marginalized person. “He’s a biological man trying to force himself in women’s spaces and I’m not gonna tolerate it. You have the radical left that are trying to erase women and erase women’s rights.”
“This is about women, this is about girls, this is about our rights and being protected in our private spaces,” Mace added. “I don’t want to see a man in a women’s restroom.”
Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness.
“Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness,” McBride wrote.
McBride went on to say the move is an attempt from far-right wing extremists to distract from the real problems facing Americans, like the cost of housing, health care and child care.
Indiana law banning gender-affirming care for minors to remain in effect
A federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday, Nov. 13, that an Indiana law banning gender-affirming care for minors can remain in effect. A panel of judges on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to block the law from taking effect.
The law prohibits physicians from knowingly providing gender transition procedures to individuals younger than 18 years of age. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed the law in April 2023.
The ACLU argued the law “prohibits health care professionals from providing or even referring transgender young people for medically necessary health care” and filed a request for a preliminary injunction, which a district court initially granted.
However, in February of this year, an appeals court in Chicago removed the temporary injunction. The decision by the federal appeals court allows state officials the authority to enforce the ban.
Indiana’s Attorney General Todd Rokita, R, posted a statement on X saying the court panel’s decision is “a huge win for Hoosiers” and will help protect children.
“By rejecting the injunction against our commonsense state law, dangerous and irreversible gender-transition procedures for minors will remain banned in Indiana,” Rokita wrote.
It remains unclear whether the decision will be appealed. A spokesperson for the ACLU told The Associated Press the organization is weighing its options.
