THE HIDDEN RISKS OF HB5511 (The “Safety Paradox”) Lawmakers are presenting HB5511 as a way to protect children from the harmful parts of the internet. But by moving age verification into your phone’s software and app stores, this bill creates a dangerous paradox: The “safety” system itself may put your family at risk. 1. Why this is a major change for your family Right now, you access the internet directly. Under HB5511, your phone or computer becomes a digital checkpoint. Companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft become the gatekeepers. Access to apps and some websites would increasingly depend on your device confirming your age. If the system fails, or if a website can’t support it, access may be restricted or blocked. 2. Your identity becomes a target This system depends on tying age verification to your device or account. That could involve sharing sensitive information such as government ID, financial data, or other personal details. That creates new risks: ● Identity Theft Concentrating sensitive data across large platforms increases the potential impact of breaches and leaks. ● Sophisticated Scams As identity checks become more common, it becomes easier for criminals to imitate them and trick people into handing over personal information. 3. How this could put children at risk This system is meant to protect children, but it may also expose them to new risks. ● More data about children Children may need accounts tied to their age, creating larger digital footprints earlier in life. ● Connected systems When devices, accounts, and users are linked, it creates the potential to connect activity across home devices, school-issued laptops, and shared computers. ● Not fully effective At the same time, experience shows that age checks are often bypassed—meaning more data is collected without fully solving the problem. 4. The shift away from an open internet The internet today is open by default. Under this model, access increasingly depends on verification through corporate-controlled systems. That is a fundamental shift. From open access → to permission-based access. And once built into devices and law, it becomes very difficult to reverse. ⚠️ URGENCY: WHY THIS MATTERS NOW Current Status: HB5511 has passed the Illinois House and is now moving to the Illinois Senate for consideration. This is the moment when changes can still be made. Once systems like this are written into law and built into technology, they are extremely difficult to undo. If the device-level requirements are not addressed now, they may become permanent.

Polymarket is turning human suffering into speculation: Six anonymous accounts, most of them created on February 27, made over $1.2 MILLION on Polymarket by betting that the bombs would fall the next day. Just days ago, in the minutes before the U.S.–Iran ceasefire was announced, at least 50 brand-new accounts placed tens of thousands of dollars worth of highly specific bets that the violence would pause. These trades have a similar profile; the accounts were created just moments before a critical world event. The bets were the only bets those accounts ever made. And each left their anonymous owners hundreds of thousands of dollars richer. It all paints a deeply troubling picture that Polymarket is where powerful people can use their access to privileged information to turn a profit on matters of war and violence. But we have a plan to stop these dangerous bets. Corporations respond when their reputations — and their bottom lines — are on the line. That’s why we’re partnering with 20 groups to sound the alarm and send a message directly to Shayne Coplan, Polymarket's CEO, to remind him that these bets come with a cost too high to bear. Because if enough of us speak out, we can create enough public pressure to force Polymarket to ban these corrupt markets.

Gen AI destroys the environment and takes away from artists.

Coral reefs are dying and bleaching due to HUMAN caused climate change. As of now 84% of coral reefs have bleached and by 2050 no coral reefs will be around at the rate we are going. It is important to urge law makers, trump and the rest of our government to save these coral reefs because coral reefs contribute to the life of 25% of ALL marine life (fish, mammals, birds, etc).

The leadership of Animal Services is not merely a bureaucratic position; it is a role that directly impacts the safety, health, and lives of the most vulnerable animals in our community. This petition is vital because the current climate of unprofessionalism and administrative neglect has compromised the fundamental mission of the department.

You may hear arguments to the contrary, but data centers do increase demand for electricity, either at the center itself or passed on to local electric companies.  Duke Energy along with FPL have already petitioned Tallahassee for rate increases. Some will argue that there is no demand on water yet the Southwest Florida Water Management District has declared a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage in effect from April 3 through July 1.  Do we really need to put any additional strain on our water supply?  A huge data center will completely disrupt the quiet, natural environment of our county. One of the biggest complaints about data centers is the noise they produce. Hundreds of servers operating together create a constant hum that can reach up to 96dBA. Think chain saw or rock concert. Cooling systems can produce low frequency drones that can travel several miles. Emergency backup generators create additional noise when in use. The noise is constant and can lead to hearing loss, headaches, dizziness, sleeplessness, and anxiety. What will this do to the remaining wildlife in the area? Over 30,000 residents of Citrus Couty live within 5 miles of the potential build. Hernando and Forest Ridge Elementary Schools are within 5 miles. There is a bill currently waiting to be signed by the governor limiting public access to information on how and where a data center could be built. Please contact your County Commissioners and tell them, "No Data Center in Citrus County." Go to Citrus County Board, FL for a list of Commissioners. We are running out of time to stop this Data Center.  Please send a direct link to this petition at No Data Center for Citrus County | MoveOn to all your friends. 

Many of you, like us, mourned the thousands killed, voiced our opposition to another endless conflict, and mobilized to stop the Trump administration’s illegal war on Iran. Meanwhile, others were cashing in on bets they placed on the violence. One prediction market on the platform Polymarket asking "Will the U.S. strike Iran?" grew to a staggering $529 million as users wagered to profit off acts of war. Six accounts, most of them created just 24 hours before the attack, made over $1.2 MILLION by betting that the bombs would fall on February 28. In any other scenario transactions like these would be under the microscope for insider trading. Allowing bets on war isn’t just morally bankrupt; it’s also ripe for corruption. Fortunately, Sen. Chris Murphy and Rep. Greg Casar agree. Their BETS OFF Act would ban gambling on war, assassinations, terrorism, and other war crimes. As Trump’s war drags on, bets on its horrors and outcomes flood prediction markets — and it’s time to end the war profiteering.

Microsoft holds billions of dollars in federal contracts, including a share of the $9 billion Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract. These business deals are the technological backbone of military operations with devastating consequences. AI-assisted warfare makes attacks more deadly and destructive, vastly increasing the scale of violence that can be committed in war. AI also makes mistakes regularly, and in war, those mistakes result in more deaths and injuries to civilians. Microsoft has deep relationships across Washington and wields enormous influence over how the U.S. government and its allies wage war. That influence comes with responsibility. We demand Microsoft: • Immediately cease providing AI support for military applications • Adopt a clear policy against providing technology that facilitates warfare Microsoft must stop profiting from war. Sign the petition and demand they act now!

This latest tactic from The Washington Post is nothing short of AI-powered surveillance pricing, and it’s not the first time a company has used the tactic to exploit consumers. Delta Airlines is rolling out artificial intelligence to price flights, Uber and Lyft have been known to charge more if a user’s battery is low, and Instacart has been caught charging customers different prices for the same products. It’s unclear exactly how The Washington Post’s pricing algorithm works, but we know they can instantly process vast amounts of subscriber data—from reading habits to renewal patterns—to make decisions about pricing at an individual level. For example, one expert explains how “if you use an Apple product, usually people increase prices because they assume that if you have an iPhone, you may have a higher income.” Washington Post readers deserve to know their privacy is protected, not exploited for profit. Demand Jeff Bezos end this predatory practice!

This latest tactic from The Washington Post is nothing short of AI-powered surveillance pricing, and it’s not the first time a company has used the tactic to exploit consumers. Delta Airlines is rolling out artificial intelligence to price flights, Uber and Lyft have been known to charge more if a user’s battery is low, and Instacart has been caught charging customers different prices for the same products. In New York, companies are required to notify consumers if AI is being used to set prices, but that’s not enough. We need sweeping federal legislation to crack down on this predatory practice and protect consumers.  The Stop AI Price Gouging and Wage Fixing Act would ban companies from using AI to set prices or wages based on Americans’ personal data—safeguarding our privacy and protecting all of us from surveillance pricing.  Add your name to show Congress that Americans want real consumer protections NOW! >> 

The richest companies and people in America are pushing AI because a lot of their money is on the line. They’re telling the public that algorithms, chatbots, and automation will replace workers at historic levels in the next few years. THIS IS A THREAT TO WORKING PEOPLE. The unemployment rate for college grads is 5.6%, the highest level in more than a decade outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers are being told in the thousands that they’re being replaced by AI.  Companies implementing AI are inundating people with “workslop.” A recent report in the Harvard Business Review catalogues how subpar work output from AI (“workslop”) is actually destroying productivity. Companies need to stop lying to their workers about AI. Corporate executives need to stop making jobs harder for people because of AI, and making baseless claims about AI.  Sign the petition: Stop using AI as a pretext for cutting jobs and laying people off! Human workers cannot be replaced by AI.

If we allow Joplin City Council to strong arm us into this potentially damaging data/Bitcoin Mining Center, then our voice will have been silenced. A twelve month moratorium will give those of us opposed to this "snake oil sale" time to conduct an environmental study, identify potential at risk flora and endangered species, research past environmental impacts of these highly controversial, and largely opposed - Data/Bitcoin Mining Operations - here, and abroad. Data suggests that these centers are just another cog in the corporate greed growth wheel, that trickles down few benefits for those of us living here. One must ask - why are we allowing a potential Chinese Data Center - or any Dra Center for that matter, to locate in our backyard? Time to stand up, show up, and speak out. Don't let City Hall silence our voice!