Waiting For Milton, States Sue TikTok, New Rules For Lead Pipes
Oct 9, 2024
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Greg Allen, an NPR reporter focused on Hurricane Milton's impact, discusses the storm's catastrophic potential for Florida, urging residents to evacuate. Bobby Allen, NPR's tech correspondent, dives into the lawsuit against TikTok, highlighting concerns over the app's effects on youth mental health. Ping Huang reports on the EPA's new mandate to replace lead pipes within a decade, emphasizing health risks and the need for urgent action. Together, they cover critical issues affecting communities across the nation.
Hurricane Milton, predicted to hit Florida as a Category 4 storm, has prompted urgent evacuations in vulnerable areas due to severe risks.
Fourteen state attorneys general are suing TikTok for allegedly prioritizing profits over the mental health of young users through manipulative design features.
Deep dives
Hurricane Milton's Impact and Evacuations
Hurricane Milton is approaching Florida with 160 mph winds and the risk of a 15-foot storm surge, prompting state officials to urge immediate evacuations. The storm is expected to make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane, which significantly heightens the urgency for residents in vulnerable areas. Many people are taking the warnings seriously, especially after recent experiences with Hurricane Helene, which left considerable debris and lingering damage. However, some individuals, like Edward Vilmetti, choose to remain in their homes despite the dangers, citing past survivals of previous hurricanes as their rationale.
Legal Action Against TikTok for Mental Health Risks
Fourteen state attorneys general are suing TikTok, arguing that the platform's design exploits young users and poses significant mental health risks. The states allege that TikTok uses manipulative features, like an algorithm that creates a 'slot machine effect,' to keep young audiences engaged while knowing it could be harmful. Despite TikTok's public assertions of prioritizing youth safety, internal communications revealed a contrasting view, referring to teenagers as a 'golden audience' meant to be hooked early. The lawsuit raises questions about TikTok's responsibility in contributing to issues like anxiety and body image concerns, especially regarding its beauty filters and live streaming features.
New Regulations on Lead Pipes in Drinking Water
The Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that most water systems must replace lead pipes within ten years, responding to the long-standing public health crisis regarding lead contamination in drinking water. This rule gains urgency due to historical incidents like the Flint water crisis, which highlighted the dangers of lead leaching from old pipes. The regulations particularly affect states with a high prevalence of lead pipes, such as Illinois and New Jersey, and aim to rectify significant public health inequalities. In the interim, homeowners are encouraged to determine whether they have lead service lines and to use certified filters to mitigate risks while awaiting pipe replacements.
Hurricane Milton is expected to be catastrophic when it makes landfall Wednesday. Fourteen attorneys general sue TikTok, saying it places profit over kids' mental health. The EPA issues a rule requiring replacement of all lead pipes within 10 years.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Scott Hensley, Russell Lewis, Kara Platoni, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfe. It was produced by Paige Waterhouse, Nia Dumas and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Carleigh Strange and our technical director is Zac Coleman.