Mattel Apologizes After Accidentally Printing Address for Porn Site on Toy Packaging

Decency, ,

The Wall Street Journal reports that toy company Mattel has issued an apology after the manufacturing giant mistakenly printed the web address for a pornographic website on packaging for some of its toys.

Mattel recently released a line of dolls tied to the new movie Wicked. The packaging for the toys was supposed to include the URL for the movie’s official website. However, Mattel accidentally printed the web address for Wicked Pictures, a pornography company based in California.

Mattel reportedly is advising parents to either throw the packaging away or obscure the web address to prevent children from visiting the website.

Obviously, what Mattel did was an honest mistake, but the story underscores how easy it is for young children to find pornography online by accident — and how important it is for parents and policymakers to protect children.

In 2023 the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 612 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Mindy McAlindon (R – Centerton). This good law requires pornographic websites to use age verification to ensure their users are 18 or older.

The law took effect on August 1, 2023, prompting PornHub to disable access to its website from Arkansas.

Technology has given children unprecedented access to pornography, and Family Council is deeply grateful to Sen. Tyler Dees and Rep. Mindy McAlindon for sponsoring Act 612 and to the members of the Arkansas General Assembly for overwhelmingly supporting the passage of this good law.

Laws like Act 612 are one way we can help protect children from finding pornographic content online — even by accident. We look forward to continuing to work with parents and policymakers to protect children online in the future.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Marijuana Use Among Americans Has More Than Doubled Since 2013: Gallup

Marijuana

Gallup reports the percentage adults in the U.S. who say they smoke marijuana has more than doubled since 2013.

Gallup has tracked marijuana use for more than a decade. The latest data released this month shows:

  • Marijuana use has risen from 7% of U.S. adults in 2013 to 15% in 2024.
  • Men are more likely than women to say they smoke marijuana.
  • Democrats (23%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans (10%) to report using marijuana.
  • Regionally, the highest rates of marijuana usage are in the West (19%), Midwest (16%) and East (16%). Marijuana use is lower in the South, where 11% report using it.

The increase in marijuana use is troubling, given how research continues to show that marijuana is both addictive and harmful.

A study published in JAMA Otolaryngology found daily marijuana use is linked to a higher risk of head and neck cancers.

Marijuana can damage adolescent brains — resulting in permanent loss in IQ, difficulty thinking and problem-solving, reduced coordination, and increased risk of psychosis.

A large study published in February found marijuana use is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Another study published last year found heavy users faced about 60% higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems.

The list goes on.

As marijuana use increases in America, people need to understand: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Canada Orders TikTok to Stop Business Operations Over National Security Concerns

Social Media,

The Wall Street Journal reports authorities in Canada have order social media giant TikTok to stop its business operations in the country, citing national security concerns.

With approximately one billion users worldwide — including 135 million or more in the U.S. — TikTok is regarded as one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet.

However, its parent company ByteDance is headquartered in China, and the platform has come under fire time and again for serving kids a steady “diet of darkness” online and struggling to protect private user data from entities in China, such as the Chinese Communist Party.

In September the Wall Street Journal highlighted how TikTok let accounts linked to the Chinese government spread misleading content targeting U.S. voters ahead of the 2024 election.

Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Justice sued TikTok for allegedly violating federal laws intended to protect children online.

Stories like these — and others — have raise serious concerns about TikTok’s operations.

Last year Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed two lawsuits against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance.

The A.G.’s lawsuits allege that TikTok and ByteDance failed to fully disclose that the company is subject to Chinese laws that mandate cooperation with intelligence activities of the People’s Republic of China and that TikTok aggressively collects sensitive user data.

As we keep saying, social media platforms are not just websites or phone apps. These are multimillion dollar businesses owned and operated by investors and other interests. If the Chinese Communist Party can influence TikTok, the CCP may be able to manipulate content, influence users, and harvest data on one of the world’s largest social media platform. That’s a serious concern.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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