April 18, 2025

What's Happening

Politics

The Take It Down Act Is Gaining Steam — But Who Will Enforce It?

What's going on: In Congress, a bipartisan effort to provide justice for revenge porn and AI deepfake survivors is one step closer to becoming law. The Take It Down Act would make sharing intimate images without consent illegal, forcing tech companies to remove them within 48 hours or face penalties from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The legislation, championed by First Lady Melania Trump, already passed unanimously in the Senate twice, and President Donald Trump has promised to sign it once it passes the House. Despite the push to get the law on the books, a bigger question remains: Who's going to enforce it? Between layoffs and the risk of additional staffing cuts, supporters of the bill say the FTC may not have the resources to provide survivors with the help they need.

What it means: While advocates continue to push for the bill’s passage, others worry the Take It Down Act could be used to remove protected speech. That’s because the law doesn’t include protections for content that could be considered of public interest. In the meantime, many are also turning their attention toward strengthening laws at the state level. At least 49 states and DC have measures banning so-called “revenge porn” — but some block survivors from taking legal action. Advocates are also shifting their attention to related legislation, including the Defiance Act, which aims to help survivors sue creators.

Related: You Won’t Believe How Much Money People Lost to Text Scams Last Year (CNET)

US News

The Problem With the "Manly Job" Revival 

What's going on: If you ask the Trump team, tariffs are essentially an economic cure-all — and one of their perks is reviving “manly” jobs in manufacturing, like construction and factory work. Some Republicans framed “Liberation Day” not just as an economic fix, but as a cultural turn toward masculinity. On Fox News, hosts dubbed the tariffs the “ultimate testosterone boost,” while claiming working behind a computer “makes you a woman.” Some said the shift could restore traditionally male-dominated labor as the backbone of American identity — essentially, bringing us back to the 1950s, both in terms of labor and gender roles. The problem with the Trump administration’s plan? This isn’t the 1950s.

Tell me more: Global manufacturing now runs largely on automation (which, yes, often means fewer workers on assembly lines). Then there’s the interest gap: Many Americans don’t want jobs in the industry. One poll found that only 25% of Americans thought factory jobs would leave them better off. Still other experts say if we want to bring back manufacturing jobs, that’s going to require rebuilding union strength and improving job conditions. Otherwise, critics say Trump’s “manly” job revival may be more about identity and nostalgia than anything else.

Related: Report Says Tariffs May Drag Down the World Economy (NYT Gift Link)

International

Europe Is Sliding Into Researchers' DMs

What's going on: Amid the turmoil at elite universities in the US, some countries in Europe are rolling out the welcome mat to researchers — offering funding, visas, and possibly even a new legal status. France’s Aix-Marseille University is opening its doors as a “scientific asylum” for US-based researchers facing uncertainty under the Trump administration. Nearly 300 academics from institutions like NASA, Columbia, Yale, and Stanford have applied to the Safe Place for Science program, which offers three years of funding at the French university. Competition is stiff — only 15 applicants will make the cut. The interest highlights a growing sense of unease among US scientists in fields like climate, gender, and public health.

What it means: France isn’t alone in this effort. Germany, Spain, and Belgium have quietly been launching new funding programs, visa pathways, and fellowships to pull in US researchers whose work has been disrupted. And it’s not just faculty looking for the exit sign. Canadian universities say they’ve seen a “meaningful increase” in applications from American students. The stakes? Pretty high. As American researchers grapple with budget cuts and political uncertainty, Europe is steadily positioning itself as the next global center for science and innovation — and it’s already winning over some of the brightest minds.

Related: The IRS’s Latest Target Could Be America’s Wealthiest University (The Guardian)

Settle This

Khloé Kardashian won't let her kids have sleepovers, even if it's at one of her sister's houses. Do you agree with her rule?

Extra Credit

See

Just in time for wedding season comes — drumroll, please — The Wedding Banquet, a modern remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 classic. In this version, directed by Fire Island’s Andrew Ahn, Min (Han Gi-Chan) wants to live in the US with his boyfriend, Chris (Bowen Yang), but there's one problem: He needs a green card — and Chris is terrified of commitment. So Min concocts another plan, involving their lesbian pals Lee (Kelly Marie Tran) and Angela (Lily Gladstone): Min will marry Angela for a green card and familial show, and in return, he'll pay for Lee and Angela's IVF. But when Min's Korean grandmother (played by the scene-stealing Youn Yuh-Jung) suddenly arrives to oversee the festivities, hijinks and hilarity naturally ensue.

Game Time

Kick your weekend off with Pile-Up Poker, a brand-new game where poker meets solitaire. Create as many poker hands as possible to earn cash and climb the leaderboard. We’re all in.