S03E07 - Trump Indictment and Social Media Laws for Kids in Utah

In this episode of Finding Common Battle Grounds, Tom and Ryan tackle two topics. First is the impending arraignment of Donald Trump in New York City. We both agree that Trump likely broke the law. But we also agree that this kind of media attention really only helps Trump as he works to destroy trust in American institutions in the US, like the media and the legal system. We also agree that Trump is unlikely to serve time in prison because different rules apply to wealthy individuals. We then turn to the recently passed legislation in Utah - the Social Media Regulation Act - that prohibits social media accounts for anyone under 18 without parental permission, requires social media companies to put in curfews, make their products less addictive, and allows parents complete access to their children's social media. We both agree that social media is harmful, particularly for young people, and aren't opposed to regulation. We also both agree that it would be better for parents to manage this than to have the government manage it, but it is probably an important restraint on social media companies. We finally, agree that one aspect of the law - complete access to the social media of their children - is likely to have some very negative consequences for some kids as they will have no expectation of privacy, which can easily be abused.