Five of America's most prominent tech executives appeared at a hearing today on Capitol Hill, accusing lawmakers of creating an “American crisis” by ignoring the spread of child sexual abuse content on their platforms. was criticized by
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee spent nearly four hours pursuing the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X, Snap, and Discord. Some said the companies were “bloody” and that users “would die waiting” for the companies to make changes. Some compared tech companies to cigarette manufacturers.
Senators pressed executives to say on the record whether they support the Kids Online Safety Act. The bill is a bipartisan bill supported by dozens of senators but opposed by the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation on the grounds of censorship. Only Snap's Evan Spiegel and X's Linda Yaccarino said yes.
In one notable moment, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg rose from the witness stand to directly address families whose children had been victims of online harassment and exploitation. “I'm sorry for what you've all been through.” Zuckerberg said.
Fed not yet ready to lower borrowing rates
Fed officials today left interest rates unchanged at their first meeting in 2024, but signaled their next move would be to lower them from their current 20-year highs. Officials also made clear they needed to see further developments in inflation before cutting borrowing costs.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said it was unlikely the central bank would have enough confidence to cut interest rates before its next meeting in March. Powell and others are trying to strike a delicate balance. They don't want to keep interest rates so high for so long that they stifle growth, but they also don't want to risk demand surging again and inflation remaining high.
Most immigrants no longer try to avoid U.S. border agents
Over the past few months, record numbers of immigrants have been streaming into the United States across the southern border. But unlike in past decades, the newcomers aren't trying to sneak in. In fact, the vast majority of immigrants are currently seeking Border Patrol agents.
That's because surrendering to authorities is a key step toward applying for asylum, and it's now the surest way for immigrants to stay in the U.S. Litigation continues in underfunded courts until immigrants can get work permits and build lives. The case has been in a quagmire for years, and few people win their cases, but most people do. It is unlikely that you will be deported.
Test scores rebounded, but many students were falling behind.
Elementary and middle school students have experienced significant growth since schools closed due to the pandemic in 2020, according to the first detailed national study released this morning. But students haven't fully caught up.
In math, students regained about a third of what they lost. Reading accounts for a quarter. But the disparity between students in wealthy and poor communities – already large before the pandemic – widened further. Also, some children never fully recover.
Other top news
Apple Vision Pro is amazing
My colleague Kevin Roos tried out Apple's latest product, a virtual reality headset called Vision Pro, and was impressed. This is a quantum leap ahead of its competitors, Kevin writes, and could be a game-changer in computing. Parents, movie buffs, and office workers may all be succumbed to the novelty.
But Kevin pointed out that it's not clear who or what the device is actually for. Priced at $3,500, or $4,600 with common add-ons, it could just collect dust once the initial novelty wears off.
The essential Alice Munro
If you haven't read Alice Munro, Nobel Prize winner and popular short story writer from rural Ontario, you should. Her books are not only important, but also entertaining. And the only prerequisite for diving into her work is to have lived.
Author Ben Dolnick cited The Lives of Girls and Women as a great book to start with, writing that it was “the best book about growing up I've ever read.” Where do we go from here?
Vacations don't have to be extravagant
Traveling is one of life's greatest pleasures, but many of the most desirable destinations, especially overseas, can be very expensive. To help you get the most out of your budget, our Frugal Traveler columnists offer some tips.
One strategy is to find a place where the US dollar is plentiful, such as certain locations in Mexico or Canada. Another tip is to look for so-called destination ducks where you can travel for a similar vacation for much less money. For example, almond blossoms in Modesto, California are an attractive alternative to cherry blossoms in Japan and Washington.
Please enjoy a reasonable night.
thank you for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
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