Today is Monday, April 7, 2025.
It is the 97th day of the year.
268 days remain.
4/7/2025: Social Media Shakedown
PLUS: Switched at Birth; The Met Gala; and Blame Meg
Today is Monday, April 7, 2025.
It is the 97th day of the year.
268 days remain.
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WHAT’S ON TAP
NOTABLE & NOTEWORTHY: A Michigan couple safely returns home after being arrested in Mexico.
RUSSELL BRAND faces charges of sexual assault and one of DIDDY’s accusers won’t remain anonymous in his upcoming trial. SHOWBIZ
Casting drama in “Narnia” and a “Happy Days” reunion in CASTING CALL.
MEGHAN SUSSEX takes center stage – in her husband’s scandal. Details in ROYALS.
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There’s been a lot of movement in the global social media world the last few days, here’s the latest:
AT X: Regulators at the European Union are reportedly mulling a $1 BILLION fine against X for failing to adequately combat, at least in the EU’s eyes, so-called “disinformation” on the platform. The EU adopted the Digital Services Act, which gives them power to impose such fines, in 2022. X would be the first platform slapped with a penalty under these new powers. [via New York Times]
AT META: On the total other end of the free speech spectrum, META announced it is ending its fact-checking program to police posts. Instead of deploying third-party organizations to flag and explain posts accused of disseminating so-called “disinformation,” Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, will instead use a “Community Notes” model similar to the one at X, where users collectively police each other’s posts. [via The Hill]
AT TIKTOK: PRESIDENT TRUMP has instructed the Department of Justice to forego any investigation or prosecution of TikTok to comply with the ban imposed last year for another 75 days. Multiple reports have indicated that the administration was ready to announce a deal last week but that the Chinese government yanked its support following Trump’s sweeping tariffs announcement.
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UPDATE: The Michigan couple arrested by Mexican officials last month are back in the United States.
PAUL and CHRISTY AKEO landed in Cancun for a vacation on March 4 but were swiftly taken into custody, accused of defrauding a timeshare company after a previous trip in 2021. The Akeo’s contended that they refused to pay for services they were not provided.
After their plight became public, Michigan Rep. TOM BARRETT spearheaded the mission to secure Akeos’ release. He personally traveled to the prison where they were held and told officials he would not return without them. Ultimately, an American diplomatic team and Barrett won their release by offering to donate the contested amount – $116,587 – to a nonprofit that works on behalf of orphans.
In a statement following their release, the couple’s attorney said in part, “President Trump, I know he personally got involved with this and wanted them home, so I give him a lot of credit.” [via CNN]
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James Bond alum PIERCE BROSNAN thinks actor AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON would be a “very good” 007.
He spoke to Yahoo Entertainment about Taylor-Johnson, whom he worked with in “The Greatest,” saying “I think if he wished it, wanted it and got it, he would be great.”
Brosnan played Bond in four films, before handing over the reins to DANIEL CRAIG. [via Yahoo]
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This year’s Met Gala theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” with the dress code, “Tailored for You.”
COLMAN DOMINGO, LEWIS HAMILTON, A$AP ROCKY, and PHARRELL WILLIAMS will co-chair, with LEBRON JAMES serving as honorary chair.
Celebs who have reportedly received a coveted invite to the event include: PAIGE BUECKERS, LIZZO, SHAKIRA, DOECHII, MARY J. BLIGE, AMELIA GRAY, ASHLEY GRAHAM, and RACHEL ZEGLER.
The annual event always takes place on the first Monday in May. [via Vogue]
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UP NEXT: Details on the SEAN COMBS trial, a casting kerfuffle over the new “Narnia” adaptation, what to expect this week in The Swamp, and establishing a new territory in Ohio on this date in history.
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