Latest news with #Maltz
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Social media giants ask judge to block Georgia age verification law
Social media companies have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new Georgia law that would create new online age restrictions for minors. A June 3 hearing was held in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Georgia in downtown Atlanta. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder A federal judge heard arguments this week on a Georgia law aimed at restricting social media use for minors and requiring Georgians to confirm their age before viewing adult websites. Judge Amy Totenberg of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia announced at the Tuesday hearing that she will determine soon whether to hear more evidence regarding a lawsuit by a group called NetChoice to stop the law. NetChoice represents various internet-based services, including powerful businesses like Google and Meta, as well as smaller companies like online journal site Dreamwidth Studios. On the same day, a Florida judge blocked sections of a similar Florida law. Children under the age of 16 would need parental consent to open social media accounts under the new Georgia law, which is set to go into effect July 1. NetChoice filed a lawsuit in May seeking to prevent that from happening. The companies claim the rules violate young people's First Amendment rights, as well as place unnecessary burdens on social media companies. Attorneys also argued the revised rules strip away some of the flexibility of parents monitoring what online sites their children are accessing. Jeremy Maltz, an attorney representing NetChoice in the lawsuit, argued at Tuesday's court hearing that many people using online websites affected by the Georgia law would consider it an invasion of privacy if they had to use sensitive information to create an account. The plaintiffs argue that adults could face a burden if companies require them to potentially give companies driver licenses, banking or credit card information or use facial recognition software in order to access user-generated online sites. Data breaches and other cyber security threats could be increased by the new age guidelines, Maltz said. 'We know people are going to have to provide some sort of information to access protected speech,' he said. And despite the law exempting educational, public safety, and professional networking platforms, Martz said it would also create new verification hurdles even for innocuous sites such as college football and recipe message boards. 'This bill targets minors at the places where minors go to engage in free speech,' Maltz said. Republican state lawmakers push for Georgia law to require proof of adulthood to view adult websites Georgia lawmakers passed SB 351 in 2024 with bipartisan support. Logan Winkles, a state deputy attorney general, said that social media is designed to drive engagement and promote addiction, and the intent of legislators in passing the law was to protect children from adult bad actors online. 'Everyone agrees that social media poses some risk to children,' Winkles said. NetChoice successfully overturned similar laws in Arkansas and Ohio after arguing they unfairly censored free speech on online platforms. The bill requires social media companies to make commercially reasonable efforts to verify the age of their users, which can be done through methods including banking and credit card accounts, facial and fingerprint recognition software scanning. The Age Verification Providers Association, which supports third-party age verification businesses, reports that about a dozen states have passed laws restricting or requiring parents to consent to minors accessing social media. In several states, including Arkansas, California and Ohio, court orders have been issued to block the provisions of the law. As of May, the age verification group listed Georgia among the 24 states that have passed laws requiring age verification to access online pornography. Opponents say such laws could create privacy concerns and prevent people from accessing constitutionally protected speech. Winkles said at Tuesday's hearing that legislators and Gov. Brian Kemp backed the law to protect more kids and teens from social media sites that lead to higher rates of bullying and mental health problems such as depression and that technology can estimate a person's age without revealing their identity. 'What we know is there are many other ways to verify ID other than showing government ID,' Winkles said. But Totenberg questioned the verification processes. 'It doesn't seem very precise,' Totenberg said. 'It's a highly subjective standard and I'm not sure what it ultimately means.' The law allows parents and guardians to file complaints with the attorney general office if they believe a company isn't complying with age verification. Violations of the law may result in a fine of up to $2,500 per violation. On Tuesday, federal Judge Mark Walker of the northern district of Florida blocked sections of Florida's law banning children under 14 from having social media accounts and requiring parents' approval for teens as old as 16 while expressing concerns about social media's adverse effects on children. Georgia attorneys contend that the state's new social media rules stand up to legal scrutiny and differ from states like Florida, which limited companies' ability to control user-posted content. Right wing officials from several states have expressed concerns about social media companies blocking conservative viewpoints. John Acevedo, an Emory University constitutional law professor, pointed out that when it's pornography, there has been a legal history showing a legitimate interest in protecting children. 'Really, it's not controversial to put an age requirement in, but the controversy is the manner in which the age requirement is implemented,' he said Wednesday. 'Conversely, in social media there's a controversy over whether we should even limit social media at all to any age group.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
The Onion
02-04-2025
- The Onion
DEA Classifies Red Wine As Schedule I Drug To Spite Ex-Wife
SPRINGFIELD, VA—In a decision meant to crack down on the allegedly dangerous substance and the 'total fucking bitch' who uses it, the acting head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Derek Maltz, classified red wine as a Schedule I drug Wednesday in order to spite his ex-wife. 'We have been far too lenient to the cold, vicious harpies who use this substance—if you run to the liquor store down the street for a bottle of Yellow Tail malbec, bring it home, and pour yourself a glass, that will now be classified as drug-trafficking,' said Maltz, explaining that substances newly classified as Schedule I include pinot noir, merlot, shiraz, and any beverage enjoyed during a tasting tour of the Loudoun County wineries outside of D.C. 'This drug has caused irreparable damage to society and needs to be taken off the street. Otherwise, the country will continue to be overrun by passive-aggressive scolds who don't even need all that goddamn child support.' At press time, Maltz added that mixing up a pitcher of margaritas for the girls should be made a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in a federal penitentiary.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Blue sanctuary state operating as ‘control' center for vicious migrant gang: acting DEA chief
Lax immigration policies in deep blue Colorado are helping Tren de Aragua, one of the most vicious migrant gangs in America, to use the state as a "command and control" center, according to the acting head of the DEA. A representative for the DEA Rocky Mountain Division confirmed with Fox News statements by DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz on local outlet Denver 7, in which Maltz said Colorado is "ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America," including Tren de Aragua's leadership. Tren de Aragua – also known by its acronym "TdA" – is a violent Venezuelan criminal group that has been linked to some of the most egregious crimes in America in recent years, including the murder of nursing student Laken Riley and the capturing of an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department to designate TdA a "foreign terrorist organization." 'On Notice': Ex-venezuelan Military Official Applauds Trump's 'First Good Step' Targeting Bloodthirsty Gang "Now, we are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado," Maltz told the outlet. Read On The Fox News App He said this information was based on new intelligence from the "men and women on the front lines and what we're seeing." Maltz said the laws of Democratic-run Colorado have allowed TdA and other criminals to "take advantage of vulnerabilities and weaknesses" to perpetuate their crimes. "Anybody that thinks it's a good idea to open up the border to adversaries around the world and then not even know who they are coming into our communities, it makes no sense," he said, adding, "People in this state have allowed illegal violent criminals in here at record levels." 'Bring It On': Sheriff Pushes Back After Blue State Leaders Sue To Stop Immigration Enforcement Maltz called on state leaders to stop playing politics and instead help take violent criminal immigrants off the streets. "The politics have to stop. This is not a red or blue issue, this is a red, white and blue issue," he said. "We have to start thinking about our citizens first." Maltz also had some very pointed words for those criticizing or attempting to stand in the way of the federal government's immigration crackdown. "Why don't you thank law enforcement instead of being 'Monday morning quarterbacks' sitting at home and being critics?" he asked. "Why don't you ask the politicians in the state of Colorado why they are not uniting, why they are fighting the force of good that's going after evil?" 'Closing Time': White House, Border Patrol Troll With Deportation Meme Video "Wake up, pay attention," he went on. "Talk to the citizens that can't go out of their house at night when gunshots are going off, talk to people that are being extorted, talk to people that are being kidnapped and raped, talk to people that are being impacted every day." Despite the criticism, Maltz said the federal government is "connecting the dots" and taking a "whole of government" approach to finally crack down on TdA and other migrant criminals, regardless of Colorado's laws. Click Here For More Immigration Coverage "I'm proud to report that right now, the cartels, the MS-13, the violent gangs like Tren de Aragua, they're going to be held accountable, and they're already being held accountable," he said. 'Safer Without Him': Columbia Student Claims Classmate Arrested By Ice 'Hates America' "I've got a warning for the TdA members," he added, "start running now." "The team of the DEA, working with their partners from FBI, ATF, HSI, ICE ERO and our state and local counterparts, it's a team that takes public safety and national security serious and they've already proven what they can do," he said. "So they better go and find another state because they are not welcome here in Colorado." Click Here For More Immigration Coverage Colorado's two Democratic senators, Michael Bennett and John Hickenlooper, did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment by the time of publication. Mexican Immigration Activist Who Hid In Colorado Church For Years To Avoid Deportation Arrested By Ice Eric Maruyama, a representative for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, responded to Maltz's statements by telling Fox News Digital that the state "works with the DEA all the time on criminal investigations and to apprehend violent offenders and fugitives whether they are here legally or illegally." Maruyama instead placed the blame for the crisis on the federal government, saying, "The reality is that Congress and the federal government for years have failed to fix our broken immigration system, secure our border, and create pathways to citizenship for people." "Gov. Polis is focused on improving public safety and has signed comprehensive laws to crack down on illegal gun crimes, get fentanyl off the streets, and recruit and retain more law enforcement," he claimed. "When it comes to criminal investigations or prosecutions, Colorado works closely with all federal partners, in accordance with state and federal law, to fight crime and enhance public safety."Original article source: Blue sanctuary state operating as 'control' center for vicious migrant gang: acting DEA chief
Fox News
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Blue sanctuary state operating as ‘control' center for vicious migrant gang: acting DEA chief
Lax immigration policies in deep blue Colorado are helping Tren de Aragua, one of the most vicious migrant gangs in America, to use the state as a "command and control" center, according to the acting head of the DEA. A representative for the DEA Rocky Mountain Division confirmed with Fox News statements by DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz on local outlet Denver 7, in which Maltz said Colorado is "ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America," including Tren de Aragua's leadership. Tren de Aragua – also known by its acronym "TdA" – is a violent Venezuelan criminal group that has been linked to some of the most egregious crimes in America in recent years, including the murder of nursing student Laken Riley and the capturing of an apartment building in Aurora, Colorado. On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the State Department to designate TdA a "foreign terrorist organization." "Now, we are learning that the command and control for TdA in the entire United States of America is right here in Colorado," Maltz told the outlet. He said this information was based on new intelligence from the "men and women on the front lines and what we're seeing." Maltz said the laws of Democratic-run Colorado have allowed TdA and other criminals to "take advantage of vulnerabilities and weaknesses" to perpetuate their crimes. "Anybody that thinks it's a good idea to open up the border to adversaries around the world and then not even know who they are coming into our communities, it makes no sense," he said, adding, "People in this state have allowed illegal violent criminals in here at record levels." Maltz called on state leaders to stop playing politics and instead help take violent criminal immigrants off the streets. "The politics have to stop. This is not a red or blue issue, this is a red, white and blue issue," he said. "We have to start thinking about our citizens first." Maltz also had some very pointed words for those criticizing or attempting to stand in the way of the federal government's immigration crackdown. "Why don't you thank law enforcement instead of being 'Monday morning quarterbacks' sitting at home and being critics?" he asked. "Why don't you ask the politicians in the state of Colorado why they are not uniting, why they are fighting the force of good that's going after evil?" "Wake up, pay attention," he went on. "Talk to the citizens that can't go out of their house at night when gunshots are going off, talk to people that are being extorted, talk to people that are being kidnapped and raped, talk to people that are being impacted every day." Despite the criticism, Maltz said the federal government is "connecting the dots" and taking a "whole of government" approach to finally crack down on TdA and other migrant criminals, regardless of Colorado's laws. "I'm proud to report that right now, the cartels, the MS-13, the violent gangs like Tren de Aragua, they're going to be held accountable, and they're already being held accountable," he said. "I've got a warning for the TdA members," he added, "start running now." "The team of the DEA, working with their partners from FBI, ATF, HSI, ICE ERO and our state and local counterparts, it's a team that takes public safety and national security serious and they've already proven what they can do," he said. "So they better go and find another state because they are not welcome here in Colorado." Colorado's two Democratic senators, Michael Bennett and John Hickenlooper, did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment by the time of publication. Eric Maruyama, a representative for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, responded to Maltz's statements by telling Fox News Digital that the state "works with the DEA all the time on criminal investigations and to apprehend violent offenders and fugitives whether they are here legally or illegally." Maruyama instead placed the blame for the crisis on the federal government, saying, "The reality is that Congress and the federal government for years have failed to fix our broken immigration system, secure our border, and create pathways to citizenship for people." "Gov. Polis is focused on improving public safety and has signed comprehensive laws to crack down on illegal gun crimes, get fentanyl off the streets, and recruit and retain more law enforcement," he claimed. "When it comes to criminal investigations or prosecutions, Colorado works closely with all federal partners, in accordance with state and federal law, to fight crime and enhance public safety."
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Grown-ups' faces are mostly left off-screen in ‘Jazzy.' ‘We were really focused on the kids,' the director says.
Jasmine Bearkiller Shangreaux never expected to see herself grow up on-screen, much less as thestar in a movie that so closely resembled her life. The 13-year-old Oglala Lakota actress leads the film Jazzy, now in theaters and available on demand, about a young Native American girl who lives in a small town outside her reservation in South Dakota. In the movie, directed and co-written by Morrisa Maltz, she navigates the joy and heartbreak of middle school friendship, especially with her fellow Lakota friend Syriah (played by Syriah Fool Head Means). 'I wasn't expecting to be the one who gets an acting role, especially as a main acting role, and it just made me feel really happy,' Shangreaux told Yahoo Entertainment. She said making the film was a 'fun experience' and something 'I can be proud of.' See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Shangreaux first appeared in Maltz's 2022 film The Unknown Country, which starred Lily Gladstone and explored Native American life on and off the reservation. Both films are based on real-life stories told to Maltz by Shangreaux's mother, Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux, a close friend of Maltz and a co-writer on the films. (Lainey and her husband, Devin, even got married onscreen during The Unknown Country, and Jasmine is Maltz's goddaughter.) For Maltz, who is not Native, telling these stories in collaboration with the Shangreaux family allowed her to show something 'we can all relate to' — 'growing up away from the family or the communities that our parents and our grandparents' were raised in. 'My grandma was raised in a very small Jewish community in Baltimore, and everyone knew each other until they were 103, and that has kind of died away in a lot of ways,' she told Yahoo Entertainment, explaining that she moved to South Dakota for her husband's job as a paleontologist. There, she met Lainey, and the two became fast friends. 'Being raised in a small town a few hours from the rez is different from being raised in your community where everybody is the same' and shares your culture, Maltz said. Following up The Unknown Country with Jazzy wasn't something that the writer-director had planned, but Jasmine and the stories she and her mother wanted to tell inspired Maltz. 'We were finishing The Unknown Country' and started making Jazzy at the same time, Maltz explained. 'We already had so much footage of Jazzy, and we all fell in love with Jazzy so much.' Working with her mom and her friend Syriah, Jasmine said she 'felt really nice [shooting the movie], because I'm not talking to a stranger. I'm talking to somebody I knew while growing up, and I know what makes them happy, and I know their comforts and stuff.' The children in the film, a mix of Native and non-Native kids, take center stage, to the point where the grown-ups' faces aren't even shown for much of it. Maltz said that happened organically alongside her cinematographer, Andrew Hajek, who also has a writing credit on the film. 'We were really focused on the kids and what was going on with them, and suddenly we realized we were just shooting the kids, suddenly realized we have not been shooting any adults.' She said that's what differentiated her film from something like Richard Linklater's 2014 film Boyhood, another coming-of-age film, which followed a boy's life from age 6 to 18. Linklater filmed the same young actor (Ellar Coltrane) over a period from 2002-2013. 'It definitely was the film we were talking about when we started making Jazzy,' she said, of Boyhood. 'A lot of coming-of-age movies end up being about the parents even if they're about the kids, and that is definitely something we wanted to avoid.' Gladstone returns for Jazzy, where she serves as an actress and executive producer. 'I really enjoyed working with her,' Jasmine said. 'Despite her being famous and stuff — because I don't care about popularity because I care about personality mostly — she was really nice and I felt like she was the one that inspired me to be an actor.' Maltz said the star of Killers of the Flower Moon was instrumental in both mentoring Jasmine and in bringing more attention to the independent film, which had a budget under $300,000. 'We're incredibly grateful for her taking the film under her wing,' she said of Gladstone. 'It just helps people see it and helps them be interested' in it. As for making a follow-up film tracking Jasmine as she moves into high school or beyond, Maltz hesitated, saying that she and Gladstone are currently working on other projects and are not actively planning to add another related film to her slate, since the first two happened 'so organically.' 'I know people want to see Jazzy and Syriah growing up. I can already feel that,' she said. But 'it has to be right.' Jazzy
