News Influencers, Instagram Reset, and Georgia Mom Arrested

Plus: Roblox’s new parental controls, Amazon Haul launches to compete with Shein and Temu, and more stories from the week for busy parents in the digital age.

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The Rise of News Influencers

A new Pew Research Center study reveals that 21% of Americans, and 37% of adults under 30, regularly get news from social media influencers who discuss current events. 

Most of these influencers lack traditional journalism backgrounds, and while most avoid political labels, more identify as right-leaning (27%) than left-leaning (21%). 

X is the platform to host the majority of these non-traditional media figures, and 63% of news influencers are men.

America’s News Influencers | Pew Research Center

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Roblox Announces Even More Parental Controls

Roblox now lets parents link accounts, set usage limits, block game genres, and manage settings directly. 

The changes come shortly after a highly-publicized and extremely critical report by Hindenburg Research, but Roblox claims the changes were in the works long before the report was released.

Roblox Adds Parental Controls After Claims It Compromises Child Safety | The Wall Street Journal

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Georgia Mom Arrested After Son’s Solo Walk

Brittany Patterson, a Georgia mom, posted a $500 bond but refuses to accept a plea deal after being arrested for child endangerment. 

Her 10-year-old son walked less than a mile into town unsupervised while she was home, prompting local deputies to return him and later arrest her. 

Advocates of free range parenting took to social media to voice their support for Patterson.

Mother fighting child endangerment charges after son walks alone less than mile from home | New York Post

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Amazon Enters the Haul Game

Amazon has launched “Amazon Haul,” a mobile-exclusive store offering cheap, bulk-purchase goods to compete with Shein and Temu. 

While promising “unbelievable finds,” the focus is less on quality and more on affordability and novelty — items that buyers expect to be hit-or-miss. 

This reflects a shift in e-commerce, where shopping has become less about meeting needs and more about experimenting with low-cost, often disposable items.

Amazon Haul Is an Omen | The Atlantic

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DOJ Targets Google’s Chrome in Antitrust Push

In response to the August ruling that Google is a monopoly, the DOJ will urge a judge to force Google to sell its Chrome browser and adopt strict AI and Android measures. 

With Chrome dominating two-thirds of the global browser market, this marks a major antitrust move under the Biden administration. 

Google plans to appeal.

DOJ to ask judge to force Google to sell off Chrome, Bloomberg News reports | Reuters

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Instagram Will Let Users Reset Recommendations

Instagram will soon introduce a feature to let users reset content recommendations on their Explore page, feed, and Reels. 

Designed for those whose preferences have shifted, it retrains the algorithm based on new interactions.

Users can also unfollow accounts during the reset. Instagram warns the app may feel less engaging initially. 

Instagram will soon let you reset your recommendation algorithm | Tech Crunch

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Can A.I. Lower the Cost of College?

While AI raises fears of job displacement, it could lower costs in sectors like education, software, and healthcare by automating complex tasks. 

By boosting efficiency and productivity, AI has the potential to curb tuition hikes, cut software development expenses, and enhance medical services — benefiting consumers and reshaping the economy.

How AI Could Help Bring Down the Cost of College | The Wall Street Journal

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Other Headlines

• A.I. Chatbots Defeated Doctors at Diagnosing Illness | The New York Times

• A Powerful AI Breakthrough Is About to Transform the World | The Wall Street Journal

• Europe fines Meta $840 million over ‘abusive’ practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace | CNN

• AI means anyone can be a victim of deepfake porn. Here’s how to protect yourself | CNN

• Coca-Cola causes controversy with AI-made ad | NBC News

• Partiful is Google’s ‘best app’ of 2024 | Tech Crunch

• Inside Big Tech’s Bid to Sink the Online Kid Safety Bill | The Wall Street Journal

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