Policy

The Trump administration has revealed updated tariff rates on exports from dozens of countries due to take effect on August 7th, and an EO targeting alleged “inaction and retaliation” from Canada that will raise its rate on certain items from 25 to 35 percent starting August 1st.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly ignored the bipartisan law banning TikTok from operating in the US unless it’s separated from Chinese parent company ByteDance. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) is calling for a new way to avoid a ban without breaking the law. In a draft bill, Markey proposes letting TikTok operate in the US as long as it provides transparency into its content moderation and keeps US user data out of countries like China.

Ofcom is now investigating whether four companies that collectively run 34 pornography sites are complying with new Online Safety Act (OSA) rules that require them to have “highly effective age checks” in place — the same rules that are widely restricting parts of the internet across the UK. Other OSA investigations were already underway, but these are the first to fall under the age verification requirements.

In a letter to Comcast, Carr says he wants to make sure that the company’s “ability to exert influence” over local NBC affiliates doesn’t “undermine” their goal of serving the public interest.

As first reported by Status, the Freedom of the Press foundation filed a complaint with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel at the DC Court of Appeals, arguing his “politicized and unlawful abuse” of his FCC chair position violates the Rules of Professional Conduct he’s bound by as an attorney. His role in the “unconstitutional shakedown” of Paramount was the final straw.

The search giant has followed OpenAI in signing the EU’s voluntary AI code of practice, after Meta snubbed the agreement over “legal uncertainties.” Google also has its complaints despite signing, saying in a statement:

“Luke’s résumé didn’t pass muster,” says one former government official, but obviously that doesn’t matter to DOGE. Farritor is “designated a GS-15, the highest salary rank for civilians, earning $167,603,” Bloomberg reports. He’s chauffeured around in a black SUV. And he’s betting that even if DOGE is a failure, he’s written his ticket for life: “To gamble like that shows you understand the theater of Silicon Valley.”

The controversy over Itch.io’s NSFW game delisting isn’t cooling down, but the platform has tried to address some of the most common questions in a new FAQ, including its next steps:

This might be a one-off after Apple reportedly shipped 600 tons of iPhones from India in April to avoid tariff threats, but a new report from Canalys tracks with Apple’s intention to move the totality of its US iPhone production to the country by the end of 2026. China doesn’t like it and Trump’s gonna be real pretend mad.

Reuters tracked a sampling of Shein prices from April to July and — surprise! — items are now more expensive. Prices spiked in April following Shein’s pre-announced price increase and then dipped slightly, Reuters found. Now they’re creeping back up: a $31 order in April would have cost $69 last week.

I appeared on On the Media to discuss our story about the Anime Nazi who allegedly hacks universities. I explain why the identity of the alleged hacker is important, why the Times’ obfuscation of its sources is troubling, and what’s at stake in the Republican war on higher education: upward mobility.

California Senator Alex Padilla granted the Internet Archive federal depository status, allowing it to more easily access and share government documents with the public.

The left-leaning nonprofit watchdog has been a frequent target of Elon Musk and other Republicans for its reporting on the right wing media ecosystem. Its legal battles have left the group with mounting bills, concerns for staff safety, and hesitant donors, The New York Times reports.

The company is making the change starting in October “in response to the EU’s incoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation, which introduces significant operational challenges and legal uncertainties,” according to a blog post.

Online Safety Act rules are now in effect that require online platforms to have “strong age checks” in place to prevent children from accessing pornographic materials and other “harmful content.” Bluesky, Reddit, and Discord, for example, have all introduced age verification tools that require users to upload a selfie or a picture of their government ID.

In its most recent update, Bluesky will prompt UK users to prove their age by uploading their ID, scanning their face, or using a payment card. Users who don’t verify their age or are under 18 won’t be able to access certain features or content, in line with the UK’s Online Safety Act.