5 THINGS TO KNOW

NPR: Why drag bans and restrictions have failed to become law

In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children. But that talk, and even their efforts, haven’t amounted to much. Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed…

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Judge blocks AR law allowing librarians to be criminally charged

Arkansas is temporarily blocked from enforcing a law that would have allowed criminal charges against librarians and booksellers for providing “harmful” materials to minors, a federal judge ruled Saturday. U.S. District Judge Timothy L. Brooks issued…

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Boy Scouts pitch a more welcoming tent at National Jamboree

Amid the hundreds of tents erected for the Boy Scouts of America’s National Jamboree, one especially stands out — decorated with a canopy of LGBTQ Pride flags and a string of multicolored lights, its tables covered with bowls of rainbow bracelets…

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Proof that Meta’s algorithms cause US political polarization

The powerful algorithms used by Facebook and Instagram to deliver content to users have increasingly been blamed for amplifying misinformation and political polarization. But a series of groundbreaking studies published Thursday suggest addressing these challenges is not as simple as…