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Social Media Giants Face Trial, Activists Decry Visa Restrictions, and Body Camera Debate Intensifies
Several significant events unfolded on January 27, 2026, ranging from a landmark trial for social media companies to international concerns over U.S. visa policies and law enforcement tactics. Meta, TikTok, and YouTube faced a trial in Los Angeles over allegations that their platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive to children, according to NPR News. Meanwhile, activists expressed fears that new U.S. visa restrictions for Palestinians would hinder diplomacy, as reported by NPR Politics. In Minneapolis, the use of body cameras by federal immigration enforcement authorities came under scrutiny following the deaths of two U.S. citizens.
The trial against Meta, TikTok, and YouTube marks the first time social media companies face a jury over claims that their products are harmful to children. The case, which began Tuesday in a Los Angeles courtroom, centers on whether the companies intentionally designed their platforms to be addictive, according to NPR News.
On the international front, new U.S. visa restrictions impacting Palestinians drew criticism. According to NPR Politics, Palestinians can no longer apply for U.S. visas with documents issued by the Palestinian Authority, a move activists see as further marginalizing Palestinians.
In Minneapolis, the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens by immigration officers ignited a debate over the use of body cameras. NPR News reported that federal immigration enforcement authorities are facing scrutiny and widespread criticism over their tactics, particularly the absence of body-worn cameras. The incident involved the killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at a VA medical center, who was shot multiple times during an altercation with border patrol agents in the Eat Street Crossing district, according to Getty Images. The lack of mandatory body cameras for these agencies is a key point of contention.
Separately, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte addressed the question of European defense capabilities. Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Rutte asserted that Europe is incapable of defending itself without U.S. military support. According to the Associated Press, Rutte told EU lawmakers that Europe would need to more than double its current military spending targets to achieve self-sufficiency. "If anyone thinks here that the European Union or Europe as a whole can defend itself without the U.S., keep on dreaming. You can't," Rutte stated, as reported by NPR Politics.
In other international news, activists reported that at least 6,126 people have been killed in Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests. The Associated Press reported that the protests and subsequent crackdown have resulted in a significant loss of life, with many others still feared dead. This development coincided with the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier group in the Mideast, potentially signaling a military response to the crisis, according to NPR Politics.
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