"I wasn’t looking to step into advocacy, but this felt important"
— The 82-year-old behind this very necessary bill, which is now officially a law in Minnesota. She’s got our vote.
US News
The Nation’s First “Nudification” Ban
What’s going on: AI “undressing” apps have (rightly) sparked plenty of concern. Now, Minnesota lawmakers are taking steps to outlaw them. Earlier this week, the state senate unanimously passed the country’s first ban on so-called “nudification” apps, which use AI imagery to manipulate pictures. These apps are a major source of nonconsensual deepfake imagery and have become more popular in recent years. Ew. Despite bans from web stores like Google and Apple, the apps are still easy to find. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram continue to run their ads, helping them reach a wide audience. Even more concerning: the apps are simple enough for kids to use. One report identified 23 cases of deepfake abuse targeting US schools since 2023.
Tell me more: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) is expected to sign the bill that lets survivors sue app owners for damages. It also allows the state’s attorney general to fine companies up to $500,000 per violation. That’s significant because it gives survivors in the state a clear path to hold these platforms accountable. With no federal protection for victims, Florida and Kansas are currently working on similar bills. At the national level, lawmakers passed the Take It Down Act last year, making it a crime to share nonconsensual intimate images. But Congress hasn’t given victims the ability to sue in civil court.
🗞️ Congress voted to end a record 75-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, though Democrats found a way to restrict new funding for ICE and Border Protection.
🗞️ The Iran War’s 60-day deadline ends today amid concerns Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is “dangerously exaggerating” claims of an easy US military victory.
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Sports
The Olympics, But on Steroids (Literally)
What’s going on: It goes without saying that performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) are fundamentally unfair in sports, right? Not at The Enhanced Games. The new sports competition doesn’t pretend its athletes are au naturel. Instead, it wants them to use FDA-approved PEDs (which have to be taken under medical supervision) to shatter world records. Later this month, the Olympic-style competition is set to take place in Las Vegas — because of course it is, though Sin City is becoming a legit sports hub. The sports world may not formally recognize their athletic feats, especially since PEDs are banned at the actual Olympics, but Donald Trump Jr. and billionaire Peter Thiel are backing it.
Are you serious?: Yup. The Enhanced Games wants its athletes to feel “superhuman.” As for whether or not this is safe, anti-doping officials say no. They warn that PEDs can damage the heart, brain, and metabolism. But for some athletes, including Olympic gold medalist swimmer Hunter Armstrong, earning cash seems to outweigh gold medals. Anyone willing to sign a 20-page consent form could get millions of dollars if they break a world record. Who knows, maybe this could become the new Hyrox. Times are changing, and steroids aren’t as taboo as they used to be.
What's going on: Your new drink order is about to get a lot more complex, if influencers, soda giants, and your algorithm have anything to do with it (Dr. Pepper with mint and blue raspberry, anyone?). Dirty sodas, the sweet, hyper-customizable drink made by mixing soda with coffee creamer and flavored syrups, have officially gone mainstream. Coca-Cola said its dirty soda-inspired Cherry Float “contributed strongly to revenue growth” in the first quarter of the year. Earlier this month, PepsiCo’s CEO said Dirty Mountain Dew was a hit. And not to be left out, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ are getting in on it, too. The chains that focus on these drinks are scaling fast. Swig just announced plans to open 25 new stores, and Cool Sips recently signed Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Whitney Leavitt.
Who’s taking a sip?: Dirty soda took off in Utah in the mid-2010s — and a decade later, it’s hit escape velocity. The drink’s rise is driven in part by Mormon-adjacent pop culture, fromThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives to The Real Housewives of Salt Lake Cityand influencers like Nara Smith. (The religion prohibits coffee and alcohol, but soda gets a pass.) But visibility doesn’t equal conversion; plenty of people are interested in coconut creamer and cherry syrup in their Diet Pepsi, but won’t swear off their morning coffee. Dirty sodas are catching on with Gen Z, who drink less alcohol than millennials and crave booze-free “third places” to hang with friends. We’ll raise a glass of “The Whitney” (club soda with pineapple, peach, raspberry, lime, and vanilla) to that.
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