Facebook Free Speech Overhaul, Laken Riley Act Passes, Trump "Gulf of America", Biden Banning Cigarettes

 In a stunning reversal of course, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced today the company is scrapping its fact-checking program and lifting speech restrictions across Facebook and Instagram. The tech giant admits they went too far with content moderation and wants to get back to their roots of free expression. Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan told Fox News that their third-party fact-checking system, implemented after the 2016 election, showed too much political bias in what they chose to review. Instead, they're rolling out a community notes feature similar to X, where users themselves can provide context to posts. 

 This is a massive shift for the social media giant. Rather than relying on what Kaplan called "so-called experts," the new approach puts the power back in users' hands. If a note gets broad support across the platform's community, it can be attached to content for others to see. Meta is also loosening its content moderation rules, particularly around sensitive topics like immigration and gender issues. While they'll still police things like terrorism and illegal drugs, the company is pulling back on automated systems that Kaplan says were making too many mistakes and removing legitimate content. The timing isn't random either. With the Trump administration set to take office, Meta sees an opportunity to work with a White House that champions free expression rather than pressuring companies to censor. This comes after Zuckerberg previously admitted to bowing to Biden administration pressure on certain content, especially around COVID. 

 Looking ahead, Meta plans to take a more personalized approach to political content, allowing users who want to see more of those posts to do so. The company says it's refocusing enforcement solely on illegal and high-severity violations, marking a dramatic retreat from the heavy-handed moderation of recent years. 

 In a significant bipartisan move, the House has passed the Layken Riley Act with support from both sides of the aisle, including 48 Democrats who broke ranks with party leadership. The legislation, named after a 22-year-old nursing student tragically murdered while on a run, aims to tighten immigration detention policies. 

 The act requires mandatory detention for immigrants charged, arrested, or convicted of burglary, theft, or shoplifting offenses. What's particularly noteworthy is that even after a criminal case concludes, individuals would remain in custody while their immigration proceedings continue. Representative Mike Collins, who sponsored the bill and represents Riley's hometown in Georgia, made a powerful statement on the House floor. He explained that Riley's alleged killer was in the country illegally and had previously been arrested for shoplifting before being released. Collins argued that this legislation could have prevented her death, pointing to systemic failures that led to this tragedy. 

 However, Democratic leadership opposed the measure, raising concerns about its broad application to protected groups like DACA recipients and the fact that mere arrests, not convictions, could trigger detention. Representative Pramila Jayapal criticized the bill as a political maneuver that fails to address fundamental immigration system issues. The legislation now faces its next hurdle in the Senate, where it needs 60 votes for approval. All 53 Republicans have pledged their support, and several Democrats have indicated they'll cross party lines, though final numbers remain uncertain. The bill's fate could mark a significant shift in how law enforcement handles immigration cases involving minor crimes.