Business
Toyota to scrap DEI policies following social media exposé

From LifeSiteNews
By Stephen Kokx
Toyota will no longer participate in the Corporate Equality Index amid public pressure after anti-woke activist Robby Starbuck revealed the company’s left-wing policies.
Just days after Toyota ended its sponsorship of the Olympics, the Japanese car maker put a halt to supporting LGBT events and said it also planned to scrap Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
In a memo issued to its 50,000 U.S.-based employees and 1,500 dealerships last Thursday, Toyota reportedly said that it will continue to “encourage an inclusive environment where diversity of thought can flourish” but that its primary focus will be on “professional development, networking, mentoring and volunteering” initiatives for staff.
Among other changes, Toyota will no longer participate in the pro-LGBT Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. It will also shift its public presence toward community activities that “align with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education and workforce readiness.”
The move comes amid public pressure after anti-woke activist Robby Starbuck exposed the company’s left-wing policies on social media.
Huge news: Last week we exposed @Toyota + @Lexus for going woke and now just one week later they’re announcing BIG changes!
Some highlights:
• No more involvement in pride parades, pride events or LGBTQ children’s summer camps.
• They will not participate in the @HRC’s woke… pic.twitter.com/eUp3aBT4wV
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 3, 2024
“This is a massive win for sanity,” Starbuck told his followers in an X post. “Toyota seems to have forgotten who their core customers are.”
Starbuck had revealed that Toyota sponsored an event featuring drag queens for children. He also reported that it backed the pro-LGBT “Equality Act” and that it worked with the radical Human Rights Campaign to oppose laws that ban sex change operations for minors, among other left-wing efforts.
It’s time to expose Toyota.@Toyota has been one of the most trusted brands in America but they’ve gone totally woke.
Here’s some of what we found:
• Toyota sponsored a drag queen program at a summer camp for kids identifying as LGBTQ+.
• Toyota opposes laws that ban sex… pic.twitter.com/bmcWPftjT4
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 26, 2024
Starbuck’s previous reporting on corporate giants such as John Deere, Lowe’s, Harley Davidson, and others effectively forced them to scale back or drop their own DEI initiatives altogether. Former GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee thanked Starbuck for his efforts on X.
Toyota stopped asking for gender on job applications in the name of LGBTQ+ inclusion but they want to increase the number of women in managerial positions "fivefold by 2030"
Make it make sense. https://t.co/VgbSX6BgQB pic.twitter.com/jTrXWwssJ7
— Expose Them (@ExposeDarkDeeds) September 30, 2024
Along with Panasonic and Bridgestone, Toyota announced that it is terminating its $835 million sponsorship of the Olympics that begin in 2015. The Associated Press reported that the three companies were among the 15 major sponsors of the Games, which featured a blasphemous depiction of the Last Supper this year in Paris during the opening ceremony.
Toyota’s chairman recently complained that the Olympics had become “increasingly political.”
Business
Chinese firm unveils palm-based biometric ID payments, sparking fresh privacy concerns

By Ken Macon
Alipay’s biometric PL1 scanner uses vein and palm-print data for processing payments, raising security concerns over the storage and use of permanent biometric data.
Alipay, the financial arm of Alibaba, has introduced a new palm-based biometric terminal, dubbed the PL1, which enables individuals to make purchases simply by presenting their hand – no phone, card, or PIN required. Positioned as a faster, touch-free alternative for payment, this system reflects a growing industry shift toward frictionless biometric transactions.
At the core of the PL1 is a dual-mode recognition system that combines surface palm print detection with internal vein mapping. This multi-layered authentication relies on deeply unique biological signatures that are significantly harder to replicate than more common methods like fingerprints or facial scans. Alipay reports that the device maintains a false acceptance rate of less than one in a million, suggesting a substantial improvement in resisting identity spoofing.
Enrollment is designed to be quick: users hover their palm over the sensor and link their account through a QR code. Once registered, purchases are completed in around two seconds without physical interaction. During early trials in Hangzhou, this system reportedly accelerated checkout lines and contributed to more hygienic point-of-sale environments.
The PL1 arrives at a time of rapid expansion in the biometric payments sector. Forecasts estimate that more than 3 billion people will use biometrics for transactions by 2026, with total payments surpassing $5 trillion. Major players are already onboard: Amazon has integrated palm authentication across U.S. retail and healthcare facilities, while JP Morgan is gearing up for a national deployment in the same year.
Alipay envisions the PL1’s use extending well beyond checkout counters. It is exploring applications in public transit, controlled access facilities, and healthcare check-ins, reflecting a broader trend toward embedding biometric systems in daily infrastructure. However, while domestic deployment benefits from favorable policy conditions, international expansion may be constrained by differing legal standards, particularly in jurisdictions that enforce stringent rules on biometric data usage and consent.
Despite the technological advancements and convenience the PL1 offers, privacy remains a major point of contention. Unlike passwords or cards that can be reset or replaced, biometric data is immutable. If compromised, individuals cannot simply “change” their palm patterns or vein structures. This permanence heightens the stakes of any potential data breach and raises long-term concerns about identity theft and surveillance.
Alipay’s approach, storing encrypted biometric templates locally on devices and restricting data flow within national border, does address certain regulatory demands, especially within China, but the broader implications of biometrics are likely to be a growing privacy and surveillance concern in the coming years.
Business
Trump considers $5K bonus for moms to increase birthrate

MxM News
Quick Hit:
President Trump voiced support Tuesday for a $5,000 cash bonus for new mothers, as his administration weighs policies to counter the country’s declining birthrate. The idea is part of a broader push to promote family growth and revive the American family structure.
Key Details:
- Trump said a reported “baby bonus” plan “sounds like a good idea to me” during an Oval Office interview.
- Proposals under consideration include a $5,000 birth bonus, prioritizing Fulbright scholarships for parents, and fertility education programs.
- U.S. birthrates hit a 44-year low in 2023, with fewer than 3.6 million babies born.
Diving Deeper:
President Donald Trump signaled his support Tuesday for offering financial incentives to new mothers, including a potential $5,000 cash bonus for each child born, as part of an effort to reverse America’s falling birthrate. “Sounds like a good idea to me,” Trump told The New York Post in response to reports his administration is exploring such measures.
The discussions highlight growing concern among Trump administration officials and allies about the long-term implications of declining fertility and family formation in the United States. According to the report, administration aides have been consulting with pro-family advocates and policy experts to brainstorm solutions aimed at encouraging larger families.
Among the proposals: a $5,000 direct payment to new mothers, allocating 30% of all Fulbright scholarships to married applicants or those with children, and launching federally supported fertility education programs for women. One such program would educate women on their ovulation cycles to help them better understand their reproductive health and increase their chances of conceiving.
The concern stems from sharp demographic shifts. The number of babies born in the U.S. fell to just under 3.6 million in 2023—down 76,000 from 2022 and the lowest figure since 1979. The average American family now has fewer than two children, a dramatic drop from the once-common “2.5 children” norm.
Though the birthrate briefly rose from 2021 to 2022, that bump appears to have been temporary. Additionally, the age of motherhood is trending older, with fewer teens and young women having children, while more women in their 30s and 40s are giving birth.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored the administration’s commitment to families, saying, “The President wants America to be a country where all children can safely grow up and achieve the American dream.” Leavitt, herself a mother, added, “I am proud to work for a president who is taking significant action to leave a better country for the next generation.”
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