Arkansas Right to Life Urges Voters to Decline to Sign Abortion Petition
Arkansas Right to Life is urging voters to decline to sign the abortion petition.
WSJ Investigates “How TikTok’s Algorithm Figures Out Your Deepest Desires”
The Wall Street Journal recently published an investigative report titled “How TikTok’s Algorithm Figures Out Your Deepest Desires.”
With an estimated one billion users worldwide and 135 million in the U.S., TikTok is considered by some to be the most popular social media platform in the world.
The app relies on a specialized algorithm to suggest videos to users. As users watch certain types of videos, the algorithm makes a point to recommend similar videos in the future — a process sometimes called “rabbit holing.”
The Wall Street Journal‘s video delves into how “rabbit holing” works on TikTok — and why users should be concerned.
All of this comes as elected officials in New York are pushing for restrictions on social media algorithms. Lawmakers reportedly have offered legislation that would prohibit social media platforms from using algorithms to serve content to children without parental consent.
Last year the Arkansas Legislature passed the Social Media Safety Act — a good law by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jon Eubanks (R – Paris) requiring major social media companies to ensure minors don’t access social media platforms without parental consent.
In response, tech giants — such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok — sued to strike down the Social Media Safety Act as unconstitutional.
Last summer U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks in Fayetteville blocked the State of Arkansas from enforcing the Social Media Safety Act. Among other things, Judge Brooks’ ruling claimed that Arkansas’ Social Media Safety Act is unconstitutionally broad and vague, and that most social media content is not “damaging, harmful, or obscene as to minors.”
Unfortunately, researchers have found the algorithms on social media platforms like TikTok actually serve teens what some call a steady “diet of darkness” online.
That’s part of the reason the Arkansas Attorney General’s office has sued TikTok and Meta — the company that owns Facebook and Instagram — arguing among other things that that the platforms’ algorithms force feeds many children a non-stop diet of objectionable content. Much of the evidence cited in the A.G.’s lawsuits corroborates what reporters at the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere have found.
As we have said before, there’s mounting evidence that — by design — social media algorithms like TikTok’s deliberately push objectionable content to kids and put users’ personal information at risk. With that in mind, it’s good to see policymakers taking action to rein in these tech giants.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
Pro-Life Groups Push Back as Abortion Supporters Work to Raise $15K, Collect 90K Signatures for Amendment
A recent article appearing on the Arkansas Times website highlights how supporters of the proposed Arkansas Abortion Amendment are working to raise $15,000 and collect 90,704 petition signatures to place the measure on the November ballot.
The Arkansas Abortion Amendment would legalize abortion in a way Arkansas has never seen before.
If passed, the amendment would write abortion into the Arkansas Constitution, allowing as many as 3,000 or more elective abortions on mothers carrying healthy, unborn babies every year.
The measure prevents the Arkansas Legislature from restricting abortion during the first five months of pregnancy, and it contains sweeping health exceptions for abortion throughout all nine months.
It also nullifies all state laws that conflict with the amendment — putting basic restrictions like parental consent and informed consent laws in jeopardy.
According to the article, the group backing the abortion amendment is preparing to train over 300 volunteers to collect petition signatures across the state.
But pro-life organizations in Arkansas are mobilizing to oppose the abortion amendment.
Arkansas Right to Life has announced a Decline to Sign campaign encouraging Arkansans not to sign petitions for the amendment.
Alisha See, Co-Lead Pastor of Reach Church in Centerton recently released a video urging people not to sign the abortion petition as well.
Family Council staff member Erin Hogan recently interviewed Allie Paris from Counteract USA in Northwest Arkansas about the pro-life effort in her part of the state. You can watch their conversation below.
Family Council also offers special email and text alerts about the abortion amendment. You can sign up for free here.
You can download a copy of the abortion amendment here.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.