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Meta Pushes for a Digital ID Revolution

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Meta is coming out as a supporter of age verification, and the proposal the giant is putting forward exposes and sums up many of the points critics have been consistently making.

A blog post by Meta VP and Global Head of Safety Antigone Davis proposes to implement age verification at the operating system/app stores level.

Although the narrative around child safety and difficulties of parenting “in the digital age” dominates the article, “the meat of it” are the implications that this approach brings with it: namely, it creates a situation where, down the line, people would be forced to link real-world identity to their phone’s operating system (OS).

And everything they do using the phone is exposed to that OS.

Davis goes into how the EU (notably via the Digital Services Act) is trying to resolve the problem of age verification, but doesn’t think any existing methods are good enough; instead, new regulation is needed, the Meta exec argues – and that would be the one that “applies to all apps.”

It means incorporating “the point of approval” into the OS or app stores. The parents would be notified when their child downloads an app, which would allow them to approve it. (The idea seems to be that if a jurisdiction has laws that prohibit a certain category of minors from using certain apps – it would be the parents’ job to “enforce” that.)

It might not sound like a very reliable way to ensure compliance, but it would achieve some goals, in the grand scheme of things, quite separate from what the “think of the children” argument seeks to present as the reason for the age verification push.

Meta is trying to lead the way here in introducing “industry standards” – the proposal looks to embed the technology into different operating systems and app stores.

When it comes to what a social media company should consider age-appropriate content, Meta is again urging common “standards” that would be observed by everyone.

And, some countries already require that parents provide government-issued ID to app stores in order for their children to use a phone and set up accounts. Meta wants the EU to “mandate by a legislative framework that applies across all member states and for all apps teens use.”

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Agriculture

USDA reveals plan to combat surging egg prices

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Quick Hit:

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has unveiled the Trump administration’s plan to tackle surging egg prices, focusing on chicken repopulation and biosecurity measures while rejecting mandatory vaccines for poultry. The move aims to counter the economic impact of mass culling under the Biden administration’s failed policies.

Key Details:

  • The USDA’s $1 billion plan includes biosecurity enhancements, rapid chicken repopulation, deregulation, and increased egg imports.
  • Rollins ruled out mandating avian flu vaccines after research showed inefficacy in countries like Mexico.
  • The administration is prioritizing securing farms against virus transmission while working on long-term solutions to stabilize egg prices.

Diving Deeper:

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, detailed the Trump administration’s aggressive approach to reducing skyrocketing egg prices, which she attributed to policy failures under former President Joe Biden. Rollins made it clear that President Donald Trump’s administration is focusing on restoring the poultry industry through chicken repopulation, strengthening biosecurity at farms, and removing unnecessary regulations that have stifled industry growth.

Rollins criticized Biden-era policies, noting that while the previous administration recognized the risks of avian flu, it failed to act decisively. “This has been going on now for two years. So it isn’t just regulation and all of the cost input increases and overregulation from the Biden administration, but it’s also not completely addressing the avian bird flu a couple years ago when it first hit,” she said. Under Biden, approximately 160 million chickens were culled, exacerbating supply shortages and sending prices soaring.

To address the crisis, the USDA’s plan includes five key pillars. First, the administration is investing in farm biosecurity, ensuring facilities are properly sealed to prevent virus transmission from wild fowl. Second, the repopulation of poultry flocks is being expedited by removing regulatory roadblocks. Third, the administration is pushing for deregulation in areas such as processing plant operations and California’s Proposition 12, which Rollins called “devastating” to the industry. Fourth, to alleviate immediate supply issues, the U.S. is negotiating egg imports from Turkey and other nations.

The final component of the plan, initially a proposed vaccine initiative, has been scrapped. Rollins stated that studies showed vaccinated poultry in Mexico still contracted avian flu at an alarming rate, making the approach ineffective. “I pulled that off the table,” she declared, adding that the administration is prioritizing research into alternative therapeutic solutions.

In addition to economic recovery efforts, Rollins praised President Trump’s recent address to Congress, highlighting his focus on American farmers and families. She also condemned congressional Democrats for their lack of support for crime victims’ families honored during the speech. “It is stunning,” Rollins said of their refusal to stand during key moments.

Looking ahead, Rollins reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to American farmers, emphasizing that Trump’s trade strategy is centered on protecting agricultural interests. “He is hyper-focused and passionately involved himself… fighting for our farmers, our ranchers, and entire agriculture community,” she said.

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Business

“The insanity is ending”: USDA cancels $600k grant to study transgender men’s menstruation

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Quick Hit:

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Friday that the Department of Agriculture has canceled a $600,000 federal grant intended for a study on menstrual cycles in transgender men. Rollins declared the decision part of broader efforts to end what she called “insanity” and restore common sense in government spending.

Key Details:

  • The grant description outlined the study’s focus on menstruation, stating that most women experience around 450 menstrual cycles over their lifetime, while also emphasizing that “transgender men and people with masculine gender identities, intersex and non-binary persons may also menstruate.”

  • Researchers aimed to explore concerns related to menstruation, including the potential use of natural fibers, such as hemp, in feminine hygiene products.

  • The American Principles Project, a conservative nonprofit, first identified the study as part of a broader review of more than 340 federally funded grants during the Biden administration, which amounted to over $128 million.

Diving Deeper:

The Department of Agriculture’s decision to revoke the $600,000 grant marks another rollback of Biden-era initiatives under the new administration. The study, awarded to Southern University Agricultural & Mechanical College, was originally slated to continue through April 2027, focusing on menstruation-related concerns, including the development of eco-friendly hygiene products.

A description of the study noted that menstruation typically begins around age 12 and continues until menopause, averaging around 450 cycles in a lifetime. The grant documentation also stated that menstruation is not limited to biological women, arguing that transgender men and other gender identities may also experience it.

Rollins took to social media platform X to confirm the cancellation, writing, “CANCELLED: $600,000 grant to study ‘menstrual cycles in transgender men.’” She credited the American Principles Project for uncovering the grant and added, “Keep sending us tips. THANK YOU, @approject! The insanity is ending and the restoration of America is underway.”

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