📵 Meta & Telegram Challenged by Government Powers

GREETINGS!

🔔 In today’s email:

🏠 California Set to Help Illegal Immigrants Buy Homes
⛪ Zuckerberg Admits to Censorship Due to “Government Pressure”
✈️ Boeing Safety Concerns Reignited by Tragic Accident
👮 Telegram CEO Arrested in France

🚨 WATCH OUT FOR:
📺 Kamala Harris and Tim Walz Will do First Sit Down Interview Thursday Night on CNN

-Mike

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California Set to Help Illegal Immigrants Buy Homes

California lawmakers passed a bill in the state Senate on Tuesday that would allow illegal immigrants to apply for the "California Dream for All" first-time homebuyers' financial assistance program.

• The program, which helps first-time buyers with up to 20% of a home's value or $150,000 for a down payment, had its funds depleted just 11 days after its launch in June, benefiting 1,700 buyers.

• Despite the program currently lacking funds, the bill mandates that undocumented applicants be included, and it now returns to the state Assembly for further revisions before potentially being signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.

A Closer Look

The bill passed with a 23-11 vote along party lines, though some Democrats abstained.

• Supporters argue that illegal immigrants contribute by paying taxes and providing proof of work, while critics, including Republicans, worry it might disadvantage other groups, such as veterans and minorities.

• No new funds have been allocated for the program due to an anticipated budget shortfall for 2024-2025, so any continuation of the program will require future approval from both the governor and state legislatures.

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Mark Zuckerberg Admits to Censorship Due to “Government Pressure”

@itsmikeluso

#zuckerberg #news #socialmedia #facebook #meta

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's CEO, expressed regret in a letter to the House Judiciary Committee for not being more vocal about what he described as "government pressure" to censor content related to COVID-19 in 2021.

• He claimed that senior officials from the Biden administration repeatedly pressured Meta to remove certain content, which he believes was wrong.

• Zuckerberg emphasized that Meta should not have compromised its content standards due to any administration's influence and pledged to resist such pressure in the future.

• He also acknowledged that Meta made a mistake by demoting a New York Post story about corruption allegations involving President Biden's family before fact-checkers could review it, and noted that the company has since updated its policies to avoid such actions.

Zoom In

Zuckerberg further stated that he will not be making contributions to local election infrastructure during this cycle, as he did in 2020, to avoid the perception of bias after previous contributions were criticized as favoring one political party.

• Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee celebrated the letter as a "big win for free speech," highlighting Zuckerberg's admissions about government pressure and the throttling of the Hunter Biden laptop story.

• The letter also comes amidst ongoing accusations from Republicans that social media platforms, including Meta, have censored conservative content.

• The Biden administration defended its communications with social media companies, arguing they encouraged responsible actions to protect public health during the pandemic.

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Boeing Safety Concerns Reignited by Tragic Accident

A tragic accident involving a Boeing 757 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on August 27, 2024, has reignited concerns about the safety of the aircraft.

• The incident occurred when a tire on a Delta Air Lines plane exploded while being removed in the maintenance area, leading to the deaths of a Delta employee and a contractor, and seriously injuring another Delta employee.

• Delta Air Lines has expressed deep sorrow over the loss and is cooperating with authorities in a full investigation to determine the cause of the explosion.

• The Boeing 757 involved had arrived from Las Vegas the previous night, and the Federal Aviation Administration is in communication with Delta regarding the incident.

• This accident adds to a series of troubling incidents involving Boeing aircraft, further intensifying fears about the manufacturer's safety record.

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Telegram CEO Arrested in France

Billionaire Pavel Durov, CEO of Telegram, was arrested in France on Saturday as part of an investigation into the messaging app’s moderation practices.

• Durov, who was detained after arriving at Le Bourget Airport in Paris, is accused of allowing criminal activity on Telegram, including drug trafficking, child sexual content, and fraud, due to insufficient moderation and cooperation with law enforcement.

• French officials, including President Emmanuel Macron, emphasized that the arrest was not politically motivated, with Macron reiterating France’s commitment to freedom of expression.

Some Context

Durov, who founded Telegram in 2013 and previously created Russia’s largest social network, Vkontakte, has long defended Telegram as a platform for free speech and privacy.

• His arrest has sparked criticism from other tech industry leaders, including Elon Musk and Chris Pavlovski, who condemned France's actions.

• Durov is expected to appear in court soon, while the Russian Embassy in France has requested clarification on the reasons for his detention.

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FROM THE EDITOR

You’re a special kind of person if you reached the end of the road here. :)

-Mike