In light of the global pandemic and the current circumstances facing the entertainment industry, HBO will redirect funds allocated for the company’s landmark Emmy® party and FYC events to make a $1 million donation to the charitable efforts of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund.
“On behalf of Bob Greenblatt and myself, we are proud to make this contribution from HBO instead of using it for our traditional Emmy party and FYC events,” said Casey Bloys, president, HBO Programming. “I am tremendously proud of all of our shows in Emmy® contention this year, and I am hopeful they will receive the recognition I believe is richly deserved for all of our talented collaborators, in front of and behind the camera. We look forward to being able to get back to the work we love.”
The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund is providing essential support to emergent, critical needs identified with the City as it responds to the pandemic, including support for families and small businesses, relief for healthcare workers, critical healthcare equipment, victims of domestic violence, and services for the city’s homeless population.
California governor signs law to protect children from social media addiction
California will make it illegal for social media platforms to knowingly provide addictive feeds to children without parental consent beginning in 2027 under a new law Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Friday.
California follows New York state, which passed a law earlier this year allowing parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm. Utah has passed laws in recent years aimed at limiting children's access to social media, but they have faced challenges in court.
The California law will take effect in a state home to some of the largest technology companies in the world. Similar proposals have failed to pass in recent years, but Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law in 2022 barring online platforms from using users' personal information in ways that could harm children. It is part of a growing push in states across the country to try to address the impacts of social media on the well-being of children.
"Every parent knows the harm social media addiction can inflict on their children — isolation from human contact, stress and anxiety, and endless hours wasted late into the night," Newsom said in a statement. "With this bill, California is helping protect children and teenagers from purposely designed features that feed these destructive habits."
The law bans platforms from sending notifications without permission from parents to minors between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m., and between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays from September through May, when children are typically in school. The legislation also makes platforms set children's accounts to private by default.
Opponents of the legislation say it could inadvertently prevent adults from accessing content if they cannot verify their... Read More