Events happening this past week serve to unite Democrats and Republicans towards unity on these topics of concern and sadness. Both the Meta settlement and the passing of Dolly Parton have brought many of us together.
Meta settles with 47 states for over $17 billion
Meta announced last week that it would reach a settlement agreement with 47 states, acknowledging that its social media platforms have had harmful and addictive effects on teens and young people. The company agreed to pay a significant sum to settle the mounting judgments and lawsuits against it.
Recently, a New Mexico judge ruled that Meta would have to pay $1 billion for violations of consumer protection laws. Prior to that, Meta received a $6 million judgment against it in a personal injury lawsuit. The cases and financial liabilities were mounting, so Meta really had little choice but to settle. In return, Meta will have to curb interruptions directed at teens at night. The company will also drastically limit streaming, restrict total use to two hours per day, and restrict the use of its social media platforms during school hours, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Some restrictions will also apply at night, from midnight to 6 a.m. Meta will eliminate “likes” and other features designed to encourage addictive behavior. This puts the focus more on family and education rather than on the addictive effects of social media on teens, who can spend hours on their phones during the day and sometimes all night. However, realistically, the genie is already out of the bottle. Many of these teens are already addicted, and they will soon become adults. It will probably take another generation before this addiction is significantly curtailed.
If the states had continued with the lawsuit all the way to the end, they might have obtained a much better settlement. By comparison, the tobacco settlement nearly 30 years ago, in 1997, was worth well over $200 billion. Many believe that Meta would have had to settle for well over $1 trillion. In addition, $5 billion of the $17 billion is being held back until TikTok, Snap, and YouTube settle under the same conditions.
It seems that Snap and YouTube might settle, but the big question is TikTok, which is owned by a Chinese company or, at the very least, has significant Chinese ownership. Strong suggestion: President Trump is meeting with Xi of China, and this might be something he could seek as a concession from TikTok, perhaps with the assistance or encouragement of President Xi of China.
At any rate, freeing teens and children from the addictive effects of social media would be a strong step forward toward bringing back a sense of the family life and freedom we once had before social media changed how we live and relate to one another.
Dolly Parton never forgot her humble mountain background
Dolly Parton was able to unite Americans of disparate backgrounds, including Democrats and Republicans. She had respect and concern for everyone and was always open to others, regardless of political persuasion, ethnicity, race, orientation, or anything else that might become a subject of derision. Dolly understood what it was like to be disparaged because of your background, region of the country, or appearance. Dolly came from a very poor family with 12 children. Her father was so poor that he had to pay the doctor who delivered her with a sack of cornmeal. She admitted that she had no running water of any kind, and her childhood was very challenging. When comedians called her a “dumb blonde,” she responded that her name was Dolly, not Dumb, and that “her hair was not blonde, just her wig.” When they joked about her not having indoor plumbing, she said that she “always had running water” because she was always running to get water. She never forgot the people of the mountains and was always willing to help those less fortunate than herself. She donated millions of dollars to support child literacy and millions more to various other causes. She welcomed everyone with open arms.
Dolly was extremely multi-talented, and she loved to write so much that whenever she had free time, she would write a song. She wrote more than 3,000 songs, many of which became major hits. Her best song, in my opinion, was “I Will Always Love You.” The song was a major hit in 1974 and again in 1982. Whitney Houston later made it an even bigger hit, and Dolly greatly admired Whitney’s version of her song. Dolly was humble and generous to a fault. She was genuine and welcomed everyone into her world. She always remained close to her roots in the mountains of Tennessee. I am very familiar with those same kinds of people, although they lived in Asheville, North Carolina. Dolly never let her fame or fortune compromise her deep Southern values, nor her love and appreciation for what she had gained. She shared as much as she could with others who were in need. She had a particular compassion for those who faced adversity and poverty. When a major storm hit the mountain regions and large numbers of people lost everything, she announced that anyone affected by the storm could receive $1,000 a month until they were back on their feet. Dolly never revealed or said whether she was a Democrat or a Republican, but we can all be assured that she was an American who cared deeply about people. Many of her songs reflected who she was and what she believed. Her songs will live on for many years to come because they were written by Dolly Parton, a woman with a passion for writing and singing about real events and experiences that affect us all.
Lucido appoints his former opponent to head key unit
Interesting to note that conservative Republican Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido has appointed former Macomb County Judge Mary Chrzanowski to run the Prosecutor’s Office Conviction Integrity Unit. Mary Chrzanowski was the Democratic opponent of Pete Lucido in the 2020 election. She will investigate files from past cases, looking for potentially wrongful convictions.
Next Week
AI guided drones are killing innocent Ukranians and AI bots are taking over other AI’s. Time for control? Maybe time for President Trump to provide needed help for Ukraine and time to re-think about AI and Data centers?
Jim Fouts is the former Warren Mayor, a member of city council and a retired Warren Consolidated Schools government and history teacher.
