Latest news with #Guffey
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
SC COMMISSIONER SEXTORTION
A Rock Hill legislator will be standing next to President Donald Trump as he signs a law banning the sharing of revenge porn. ALSO READ: Nigerian man indicted for sextortion scheme that led to SC teen's suicide According to the Herald, Representative Brandon Guffey will join the signing next week, not as a politician but as a father. Guffey lost his son Gavin in 2022. Gavin took his life after being targeted in a sextortion scam. Guffey then spearheaded South Carolina's Gavin's Law, making online sexual extortion a state crime. VIDEO: Nigerian man indicted for sextortion scheme that led to SC teen's suicide
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US bill with backing from SC legislator heads to president's desk
Rep. Brandon Guffey, R-Rock Hill, testifying at a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. A bill for which Guffey advocated strengthening protections for children online passed the U.S. House of Representatives Monday, April 28, 2025. (Screenshot courtesy of C-Span) A federal bill that would require social media platforms to remove falsified intimate images and so-called 'revenge porn,' which a South Carolina state legislator has been pushing for, advanced to the president's desk Monday. State Rep. Brandon Guffey has repeatedly called on Congress to pass legislation protecting children online after his 17-year-old son, Gavin Guffey, died by suicide three years ago while being extorted with intimate photos he had shared by direct message on Instagram. Guffey, R-Rock Hill, recounted the story of his son's suicide to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year during a general discussion about protections for children online. The bill passed the House with a vote of 409-2 on Monday. SC House passes bill requiring parental consent for social media Every South Carolina representative in Congress voted for the bill, which will go to President Donald Trump for his signature. 'I think that's a big first step,' Guffey told the SC Daily Gazette. The bill, dubbed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, is among several for which Guffey has been advocating. Another federal proposal that would make social media platforms legally responsible for protecting children on their apps and websites from sexual exploitation has yet to get a vote in either chamber. The passage of the first proposal could lead to others, Guffey said. 'Hopefully it'll begin that snowball,' Guffey said. In recent years, the state has put in place some of its own protections for children online. Gavin's Law, named after Guffey's son, passed in 2023, banning sexual extortion, also known as 'sextortion.' Several other proposals have advanced but not reached the finish line, including a bill requiring children to get permission from their parents before creating social media profiles that passed the House earlier this year. A Senate committee Tuesday advanced a proposal to ban intimate photos circulated without a person's consent, dubbed revenge porn, as well as fake nude photos. The bill, which passed the House unanimously, will go to the Senate floor.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UPS Makes Bold Moves with Ground Portfolio Expansion
UPS Ground Saver® and UPS® Ground with Freight Pricing Expand Customer Options, Powered by the Reliability and Best-in-Class Trust of UPS ATLANTA, April 08, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UPS (NYSE: UPS) is doubling down on its customer-first strategy by expanding its end-to-end portfolio with two ground shipping options for residential and commercial shippers: UPS Ground Saver® and UPS® Ground with Freight Pricing. In today's dynamic market, global logistics continues to evolve, and UPS is moving forward to deliver for customers of all needs and sizes. "UPS is on a mission to transform our customer experience by offering an end-to-end portfolio which provides delivery, returns and pickup services seven-days-a-week," said UPS Chief Commercial and Strategy Officer Matt Guffey. "Ground Saver and Ground with Freight Pricing represent the first of many product enhancements UPS will roll out in 2025." UPS Ground Saver® UPS Ground Saver is a reliable, economical shipping solution for less urgent packages, leveraging the UPS® Smart Logistics Network. Customers who choose UPS Ground Saver will take advantage of: Reliability and speed with delivery time comparable to UPS Ground plus 1 – 2 days. Superior recipient experience and control, giving consumers a unique ability to upgrade to faster UPS Ground via UPS My Choice®. Outstanding economy product visibility including Delivery Photo. For Direct-to-Consumer customers looking to reduce costs while maintaining a high level of service or for those shipping lower value merchandise, UPS Ground Saver provides the efficiency and reliability of the UPS Ground network. UPS® Ground with Freight Pricing UPS Ground with Freight Pricing provides exceptional value for less-than-pallet load shipments that weigh more than 150 lbs. and is ideal for commercial shippers looking for small package reliability. Advantages include: Predictable cost savings versus LTL carriers No additional costs for lift-gate, inside delivery or pallet weight Nationwide coverage with the reliability of the UPS network IBIS World projects that the LTL market size will reach nearly $94.5 billion by 2025, illustrating a significant growth opportunity for UPS due to the considerable portion of the market that is compatible with small package shipping. Guffey added, "UPS is the only major U.S. small package carrier that offers parcel service at LTL pricing, which is a true differentiator." Throughout 2025, UPS will roll out enhancements to its premium portfolio offerings that will raise the bar for the delivery and logistics industry. These enhancements will put shippers and receivers in the driver's seat, with increased control, visibility and choice. Media assets can be found here. About UPS UPS (NYSE: UPS) is one of the world's largest companies, with 2024 revenue of $91.1 billion, and provides a broad range of integrated logistics solutions for customers in more than 200 countries and territories. Focused on its purpose statement, "Moving our world forward by delivering what matters," the company's approximately 490,000 employees embrace a strategy that is simply stated and powerfully executed: Customer First. People Led. Innovation Driven. UPS is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and supporting the communities we serve around the world. More information can be found at and View source version on Contacts UPS Media Relationspr@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Carolina GOP group pushes to end state's Republican primaries
YORK COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A push from a small South Carolina GOP group, the 'America First Movement,' is working to change how Republican voters make their voices heard in elections. York County Republican and Representative for the 48th district Brandon Guffey says the group wants to end the state's Republican primaries. 'It's trying to say that we don't have conservative enough legislators in office. Essentially what they're saying is the local party is saying if y'all don't do what we tell you to do, then we're going to get you out of office,' Guffey said. He says the group wants to make the party elect candidates by convention. 'So the people that are elected to the local party get together and then they decide. They can just say, no, you can't run as a Republican because you don't agree with us. It doesn't matter how long you've been in there,' he said. Guffey believes it takes the voice of the people away. The group would need 3/4 of the delegates at a party convention to get the process moving in that direction; allowing them to have the final say in candidates for local and state offices. Carol Herring is active in several York County Republican organizations. 'It is my right as a citizen to be able to speak. So I don't want that taken away. And I know that we have the national convention, I understand that, but it still comes from people going to the polls in their individual states and making decisions. And we all see what happens and Iowa, they do a caucus. And so it takes them hours and hours and hours,' she said. The York County Republican Party will hold a meeting Saturday morning to continue the discussion. 'I think the reason this came up is primarily because of the closed versus open primaries. And most of the people I know are actually in favor of a closed primary for only a registered Republican would vote in a republican primary. Only a registered Democrat would vote in a democrat primary,' Herring said. We texted, emailed, and called York County GOP chair Larry Barnett for further clarification and comment on the initiative on Wednesday. He did not respond. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmaker who lost son to suicide warns Senate that ‘big tech is the big tobacco of this generation'
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). South Carolina House Rep. Brandon Guffey gave powerful testimony in Wednesday's Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Children's Safety in the Digital Era. Guffey knows the dangers facing children online all too well. Nearly three years ago, Guffey lost his teenage son, Gavin, to suicide in an apparent sextortion scheme. "Protecting youth from online dangers and holding big tech companies responsible is now my life's mission," Guffey told the committee. He also issued a stark warning, saying "big tech is the big tobacco of this generation." South Carolina Lawmaker Exposes Dangers Of 'Sextortion' After Teenage Son's Suicide In his testimony, a visibly emotional Guffey recounted the night his son took his own life and the fallout. A scammer posing as a girl convinced Gavin to turn on "vanish mode" and send explicit photos in an Instagram chat. "Vanish mode" allows messages to disappear once they are received. The scammer then threatened to release the photos unless he received money from Gavin, who sent the online predator $25, saying it was all he had in his account. This wasn't enough for the scammer, who continued to demand more money. Tragically, Gavin took his own life as a result. Read On The Fox News App The predator, however, was not done with the Guffey family. The state lawmaker told the committee that the scammer proceeded to harass himself, his son and his teen cousin. Guffey says this is because Meta took down the account that tormented his son Gavin and left the rest of the scammer's accounts up. After Michigan Teen's Suicide, Nigerian Brothers Plead Guilty To Planning Deadly Sextortion Scheme Hassanbunhussein Abolore Lawal, who was indicted by a Grand Jury in October 2023, was extradited to the United States from Lagos, Nigeria. He faces the possibility of life in prison. Within a few months of taking office, Guffey was able to pass a law bearing his son's name. Gavin's Law makes sextortion, the act of blackmailing someone using explicit images or videos, a felony in South Carolina. The offense can be upgraded to an aggravated felony if the victim is a minor or if there are other mitigating circumstances, which are outlined in the law. Additionally, Gavin's Law requires South Carolina schools to teach students about the dangers of sextortion. "Sextortion is now taught throughout the State and every kid at least has some awareness so they don't feel alone like my son did that night," Guffey told the Senate committee on Wednesday. Guffey does not have faith in Big Tech's ability to reform itself. He recalled attending a January 2024 hearing in which Mark Zuckerberg offered what he called "a forced, pathetic apology." Pennsylvania Father Helps Fbi Track Down Scamming Suspects Who Led His Son To Suicide Guffey is demanding lawmakers take action on Section 230, which he believes will "go down as one of the greatest disasters." Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act distinguishes Big Tech platforms from those that would be treated as a "publisher." This absolves online platforms of legal liability for what users post. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle discussed the need for legislation to create new industry standards for Big Tech aimed at protecting America's children. While Guffey is advocating for federal legislation, he is also calling for a cultural shift. "I believe that in this country we've lost grace, and we have too often kicked people for the mistakes that they make, and we tell our kids that 'everything you do online will stay with you forever.' Well, imagine if you just took your darkest moment and posted it online," Guffey said to the committee. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) says it received more than 26,710 reports of financial sextortion in 2023. NCMEC says it has seen "an overwhelming increase in reports of sextortion from children and teens." The center advises parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of sextortion, but also to let them know that they need to get help and not immediately pay or comply with the article source: Lawmaker who lost son to suicide warns Senate that 'big tech is the big tobacco of this generation'
