Tag: california

California Bills on Social Media and AI Chatbots Fuel Privacy Fears

Two controversial tech-related bills have cleared the California legislature and now await decisions from Governor Gavin Newsom, setting the stage for a potentially significant change in how social media and AI chatbot platforms interact with their users.

Both proposals raise red flags among privacy advocates who warn they could normalize government-driven oversight of digital spaces.

The first, Assembly Bill 56, would require social media companies to display persistent mental health warnings to minors using their platforms.

Drawing from a 2023 US Surgeon General report, the legislation mandates that platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat show black-box warning labels about potential harm to youth mental health.

The alert would appear for ten seconds at login, again after three hours of use, and once every hour after that.

Supporters, including Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan and Attorney General Rob Bonta, claim the bill is necessary to respond to what they describe as a youth mental health emergency.

Critics of the bill argue it inserts state messaging into private platforms in a way that undermines user autonomy and treats teens as passive recipients of technology, rather than individuals capable of making informed choices.

Newsom has until October 13 to sign or veto the measure.

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CA Democrat Rep. Dave Min Makes False Claims About ‘Radical Right’ Violence After Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

Rep. Dave Min (D-CA) claimed on Friday there was “toxic violence” coming from the “RADICAL RIGHT” after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated.

Min also claimed the suspect, who has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, belonged to the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

The Democrat wrote in a social media post, “Now that the Charlie Kirk assassin has been identified as MAGA, I’m sure Donald Trump, Elon Musk and all the insane GOP politicians who called for retribution against the “RADICAL LEFT” will now shift their focus to stopping the toxic violence of the RADICAL RIGHT.”

Min got major pushback for his claims, one person writing, “I would say this is unbelievable but Democrats have proven time and again that they will do and say anything, from assassinations to nonsensical lies like this.”

“Patently false. Nice try,” another user commented.

Meanwhile, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Spokesman Christian Martinez told Breitbart News that Min was “spewing lies.”

“Unhinged conspiracy theorist Dave Min is spewing lies and exploiting a tragedy to score cheap political points,” Martinez stated. “Besides being a drunk, Min is reckless, disgraceful, and a pathetic excuse for a Congressman who will say anything to distract from his own failures. Californians deserve better.”

Star Trek actor George Takei has also pushed misinformation that Kirk’s alleged assassin was motivated by right-wing views, according to Breitbart News.

The alleged shooter was reportedly described by a high school friend as being “pretty left on everything” even though his family were “very hard Republican,” Breitbart News reported.

The individual also claimed that during sophomore year, Robinson’s views became more extreme and he would “always just be ranting and arguing about them.”

Breitbart News reported on Friday, “One of the inscriptions on an ammunition casing of alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson is a clear reference to the song ‘Bella Ciao,’ which is idolized in Antifa circles.”

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California Passes Reparations in College Admissions, Despite Prop 209

The California legislature passed a bill last week that would provide reparations to descendants of slaves in the form of college admissions — despite Proposition 209, which forbids the use of race in college admissions.

The bill, AB 7, provides that California State University, the University of California, independent institutions of higher education … and private postsecondary educational institutions … may consider providing a preference in admissions to an applicant who is a descendant of slavery.” It applies to anyone “who can establish direct lineage to a person who, before 1900, was subjected to American chattel slavery.”

Proposition 209, passed in 1996 and reaffirmed by California voters in 2020, bans the use of race in college admissions and for other public purposes. Supporters of AB 7 say that “descendant of slavery” is race-neutral.

The Los Angeles Times reports that AB 7 is only one of several reparations bills passed by the legislature:

Earlier this week, the Democratic-led Legislature also passed Senate Bill 518, which would create a new office called the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery. That bureau would create a process to determine whether someone is the descendant of a slave and to certify someone’s claim to help them access benefits.

The legislature also approved Assembly Bill 57, by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne), which would help descendants of slavery build generational wealth by becoming homeowners.

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The Legislature also passed McKinnor’s AB 67, which sets up a process for people who said they or their families lost property to the government through “racially motivated eminent domain” to seek to have the property returned or to be paid.

Newsom will now consider the bills. He signed a formal apology for slavery last year, after declining to back bills that would have provided cash reparations.

California entered the Union as a Free State in 1850.

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Active duty Navy chief who witnessed UFO convinced doubtful colleagues with radar expertise: ‘It was like checkmate’

An active-duty Navy chief saw four tic-tac shaped UFOs off the coast of California while working on the USS Jackson — and convinced a doubting radar officer the craft were real with an undeniable “checkmate.”

US Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Alexandro Wiggins witnessed multiple UFOs on radar on the evening of February 15, 2023 — observing the first one emerge seamlessly out of the ocean, he said.

“What am I seeing?” recounted Chief Wiggins, who spoke to The Post on behalf of himself as an individual and not as a representative of the Navy. “From my observations, it did in fact come from the water.”

“It was first seen on radar and once I saw it on radar, I wanted to confirm visually what I was seeing on radar if it was clouds and atmospherics and something else.”

Wiggins then moved out to the core bridge wing of the USS Jackson and went through his mental checklist of things the object could be — but was convinced by an odd maneuver it made that it was not standard human technology.

“It [was] rising into the air high enough to where I’m like, alright, that’s definitely: A. too fast and B. not something I’ve seen before,” the 21-year Navy veteran said.

The keen-eyed officer saw three other objects moving in coordination roughly 8 nautical miles away from the USS Jackson — then reported the unknown objects to a tactical officer and rushed to observe the craft on a Sapphire radar.

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California Dems Kill Bill Backed by Jay Leno That Would Have Exempted Classic Cars from Emissions Regulations

Not even classic car collector Jay Leno could convince California’s legislative Democrats to give an inch on what a critic called the state’s “regulatory hellscape.”

The Assembly Appropriations Committee blocked Republican Sen. Shannon Grove’s Senate Bill 712, informally known as Leno’s Law, from advancing, according to KABC-TV.

“SB 712, also known as “Leno’s Law,” offers a practical solution for owners of collector vehicles that have difficulty complying with the state’s smog check law,” according to a fact sheet issued by Grove.

“Leno’s Law is sponsored by renowned car enthusiast and television icon Jay Leno. The bill would exempt, on an ongoing basis, collector cars whose model year is 35 years or older from the state’s smog check law,” the fact sheet said.

“The bill would also exempt classic cars from the smog check program upon transfer of a vehicle. These classic cars are infrequently driven, carefully maintained, and make up only a fraction of cars on the road,” the fact sheet said.

“Exempting them from the biennial smog check would strengthen California’s ‘car culture’ by helping preserve these historical treasures,” the fact sheet said.

The fact sheet said forcing classic cars to meet current standards “is an overreach by the government.”

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Two Men Who Murdered Teen in ‘Satanic Ritual’ Granted Parole, Were Found Guilty After ‘Sacrificing’ a Virgin

Two California men are on parole nearly 30 years after murdering a girl in a “satanic ritual.”

Royce Casey and Jacob Delashmutt, both 47, were released in August and July, while a third accomplice, 45-year-old Joseph Fiorella, has yet to be released, according to The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, California.

In 1995, when all three men were teenagers, they murdered 15-year-old Elyse Pahler in what they described as a “satanic ritual.”

The boys were in a heavy metal band and believed that “sacrificing a virgin to the devil” would make them better musicians, according to People, citing a habeas corpus petition filed by Casey.

The three lured Pahler, a friend who believed the group was going to a party, into a secluded grove.

Delashmutt, then 16, took off his belt and began strangling Pahler.

Then Casey, 17, pinned her down while 15-year-old Fiorella pulled out a large hunting knife, stabbing Pahler repeatedly in the neck.

Fiorella then handed the knife to Delashmutt, who stabbed her another four or five times in the neck, before Casey stabbed her an additional four times.

Pahler begged for her mother and Jesus.

Then, Casey dealt the final blow, stomping Pahler on the back of her neck, according to the Los Angeles Times.

They covered her body with leaves and went home, according to People.

Eight months later, Casey confessed the crime to a clergyman.

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Wealthy Liberal Enclave of Santa Monica to Declare ‘Fiscal Emergency’ over Sexual Abuse Payouts

The city council of Santa Monica, California, will be asked to declare a “fiscal emergency” this week over hundreds of millions of dollars that it has paid in ongoing sexual abuse litigation.

The city by the beach, which has been hit by homelessness, crime, and an ongoing retail collapse, now faces fiscal catastrophe.

The Santa Monica Daily Press reported: “The dire financial situation is a result of a shortfall in revenue relative to forecasts combined with ongoing litigation, most notably the Uller sexual abuse case.”

The publication reported in 2023 that the city had reached a $229.8 million settlement over the claims: “Eric Uller was accused of abusing young boys between the late 1980s and early 2000s while he was employed by the City and volunteered in the Police Activities League (PALs), a city owned nonprofit. He committed suicide before his criminal trial in 2018.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that the case has crashed the city:

Services in Santa Monica are also suffering, according to the [city’s] report. During the COVID-19 pandemic, city leaders slashed the city’s budget and eliminated hundreds of positions. City services haven’t been restored to pre-pandemic levels, and several capital projects remain unfunded.

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The report also cites recent and proposed changes by the federal government, including tariffs and mass deportations, that could affect the local and national economies.

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In April, Santa Monica ended negotiations with Olympics organizers to host beach volleyball during the 2028 Games.

Santa Monica is often referred to as the “People’s Republic of Santa Monica,” due to its left-wing policies. It is one of the wealthiest towns in America, and diverts public resources to ideological policies as climate change, criminal justice reform, and resisting immigration enforcement (though it is not officially a “sanctuary city”).

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“Summer COVID Wave” Prompts Panic In California; Masks Recommended

At least one official in California has recommended that residents wear masks indoors due to an increase in COVID-19 in recent days.

Wastewater data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday show that California is seeing “very high” levels of the virus, while all states on the West Coast are either at “high” or “very high” levels.

As Jack Phillips reports for The Epoch Times, the top health official for Yolo County, located outside Sacramento, said in a statement last week that residents are advised to wear masks indoors. No mandate was issued.

“California is experiencing a summer COVID wave,” Aimee Sisson, the Yolo County health officer, said in the statement.

“Based on current wastewater levels of the virus that causes COVID-19, I recommend that everybody in West Sacramento wear a mask when they are around others in indoor public spaces.”

“I also recommend that people in the rest of Yolo County wear masks when they are around others indoors if they are 65 or older, have a weakened immune system, have an underlying medical condition that puts them at a greater risk of severe COVID-19, or spend time around people who fall into these categories.”

Sisson’s office also said in a news release issued by the county that “wearing a high-quality mask such as an N95, KN95, or KF94 that fits well continues to provide strong protection” before touting vaccines for the virus.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health told the Los Angeles Times, in an article published Sept. 3 that suggests multiple California officials have recommended masking, that it is also recommending people “consider wearing a well-fitted mask in crowded indoor spaces, including when traveling, and to stay at home if they feel sick.”

Multiple requests from The Epoch Times to the city health department have not been returned as of Friday.

In Canada, New Brunswick’s Horizon Health Network told The Epoch Times this week that it would mandate masks for certain clinical areas due to a rise in respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19. Several weeks ago, the government of Honduras announced it had reinstated a nationwide mask mandate in health care settings due to a rise in respiratory viruses.

Last year, multiple California counties implemented mandatory mask requirements in health care settings that lasted from November 2024 until the spring of this year, including counties in the San Francisco Bay Area. Some of the countywide mandates were meant only for employees, while one county required all visitors and patients to wear a mask.

An Epoch Times review suggests that no counties in the United States have recently issued mask mandates or are planning to issue mask mandates for the coming fall or winter months.

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California Professor Indicted for Assaulting Federal Agents During Marijuana Farm Raid

A federal grand jury indicted a professor at California State University Channel Islands who is charged with throwing a tear gas canister at federal agents executing a search warrant at a marijuana farm in Camarillo this summer. The grand jury returned the indictment on Wednesday.

Jonathan Caravello, 37, of Ventura, California, is charged with one count of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon. Caravello, who is free on $15,000 bond, is expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks in the United States District Court in Los Angeles.

According to the indictment and court documents previously filed in this case, on July 10, federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and United States Border Patrol executed a high-risk search warrant at a marijuana farm sitting on a 160-acre property in Camarillo. A group of protesters gathered near law enforcement personnel around the farm’s entrance and used their bodies and their vehicles to impede law enforcement from exiting the location.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Los Angeles, protesters became violent, throwing rocks at the government vehicles attempting to depart the location because of the danger posed by the protesters. The thrown rocks broke windows and side-view mirrors, among other damage to the government vehicles driven by authorities participating in the immigration enforcement action.

The indictment indicated law enforcement agents on the scene in Camarillo deployed tear gas to assist with crowd control and ensure officer safety. The measure also allowed law enforcement to depart the location. Border Patrol agents rolled tear gas canisters by protesters’ feet at which time the indictment alleged Caravello ran up to one of the canisters and attempted to kick it. After the canister rolled past him, Caravello turned around, ran towards the canister, picked it up, and threw it overhand back at Border Patrol agents.

Border Patrol agents eventually arrested Caravello, who continuously kicked his legs and refused to give agents his arms during the arrest.

Breitbart Texas reported in July that federal officials were offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of another suspect in the assaults on agents during this operation.

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Fake Students Plague California Community Colleges, Displacing Real Enrollees

California’s community colleges are grappling with a surge in fraudulent enrollments, with 1.2 million fake applicants last year accounting for nearly 30 percent of new students, blocking real students from classes and costing millions in stolen financial aid, according to college officials.

The problem, exacerbated by the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, affects at least 90 of the state’s 116 campuses, said Marvin Martinez, chancellor of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, and Jeannie Kim, president of Santiago Canyon College.

Before the pandemic, most classes were in-person, making fraud more difficult, Martinez said. But with 80 percent of courses moving online, bots and fake students can enroll from anywhere, including other states or countries.

“It’s happened on a massive scale,” Martinez told Epoch TV’s California Insider host Siyamak Khorrami.

“What’s made this situation of fraudulent enrollment so different than anything that I’ve seen before in my 36 years in higher ed is that it’s happened in almost 80 percent now of the campuses.”

At Santiago Canyon College, fall 2024 enrollment initially spiked 10 percent to 13 percent, Kim said, but faculty discovered many registrants were fraudulent. In one anthropology course, administrators raised the enrollment cap by 30 daily, only for bots to fill slots instantly, leaving just 12 to 15 genuine students. 

Faculty identified fakes through non-engagement, identical assignments, or invalid contact details, like phone numbers tied to businesses or defunct entities. Removing fraudulent enrollments cut the college’s headcount by 10,000 to 12,000 spots, with some bad actors enrolled in up to five classes each.

The fallout is severe. Real students are denied access to required courses, delaying graduations, certificates, and transfers to four-year universities.

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