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A federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated a Republican-backed Texas law that prohibits large social media companies from banning users over their political viewpoints.

The decision hands a win to Republicans who have long criticized social media platforms such as Twitter for what they call anti-conservative bias disapproval that was amplified when President Donald Trump was banned from Twitter for violating the platforms rules on inciting violence during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

The order did not evaluate the law on its constitutionality but instead allows the law to go back into effect while the case proceeds in district court, according to a statement from one of the plaintiff groups. The ruling came from a three-judge panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which is often considered the most conservative appeals court in the country and was not accompanied by a written opinion explaining the decision at the time of publication.

Two large industry trade groups that represent companies such as Google and Twitter sued to block the law last fall.

In December, a federal district court judge ruled in favor of the groups and blocked the law while the lawsuit continues, reasoning that the First Amendment protects a companys right to moderate content and called parts of the law prohibitively vague. As a result, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appealed the district judges decision to the circuit court.

Passed during a special session last year, House Bill 20 also requires social media platforms with more than 50 million monthly users to publicly disclose information about content removal and account suspensions.

HB 20 is an assault on the First Amendment, and it's constitutionally rotten from top to bottom, Chris Marchese, counsel for the NetChoice industry trade group, tweeted after the ruling. So of course we're going to appeal today's unprecedented, unexplained, and unfortunate order by a split 2-1 panel.

The decision comes as businessman Elon Musk is poised to buy Twitter and possibly remake the companys moderation policies a move that conservatives have cheered. Musk recently said he would reinstate Trumps account if the acquisition is completed.

Sadly, we have a handful of people in America today who want to control the town square, who want to control social media and want to enforce silence, state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, said in support of the bill last year. If you have a viewpoint different from theirs, they want to shut you up. Thats not the American way, and that is not the Texas way.

The law does not provide any specific civil penalties for breaking the law, besides allowing users to sue to recuperate their court costs from the company found in violation. The law also empowers the attorney general to pursue violations.

The Texas attorney generals office said in a tweet late Wednesday that the appeals court made the right decision and said it would continue defending the Texas law.

Disclosure: Google has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

Tickets are on sale now for the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, happening in downtown Austin on Sept. 22-24. Get your TribFest tickets by May 31 and save big!

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Texas law prohibiting social media companies from banning users over their viewpoints reinstated by appeals court - The Texas Tribune

Google has previewed a forthcoming launch of afeature it calls My Ad Center that will give people more control of the ads they see across Search, Discover, and YouTube.

The move, in theory, will encourage people to engage more often withads and advertisers, while improving the user experience.

My Ad Center, scheduled for release later this year, allows people to control the ads they see and manage privacy settings, eitherdirectly from the ads or through the My Ad Center hub. It will tie into their Google account.

Eventually, Google plans to release My Ad Center controls to all Google owned-and-operatedproperties, including Gmail.

Every ad seen on Google properties will have the same entry point to make the change through My Ad Center, explained David Temkin, senior director of productmanagement ads privacy and user trust at Google, during a press briefing.

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This is a major step forward in terms of clarity, accessibility and control, Temkin said. Usershave told us loud and clear it makes them feel better about their ad experience when they are in control.

"We think this gives users control over the algorithm," Temkin said --byallowing My Ad Center to block an ad, see who paid for it, and learn why they were served a specific ad based on activity or information shared with Google. There is also a place to indicate when theuser wants to see more or less on a given topic or brand -- perhaps from brands the user favors or wants to know more about.

It allows people to find things such as personalized movie,commerce, and news recommendations. He said these are not targeting categories, but topic categories for ads that people want to see more of less often.

We are not changing how data isused, he said. We are giving users a whole lot more control.

When asked if and how Topic segment targeting for Chrome used by advertisers for ad targeting impacts the MyAd Center topic category for users, Temkin saidthe My Ad Center categories are about the topic categories, and the Topics targeting for advertisers is about the inferred interest of users.

It will not impact the display network, but we do intend to [apply it to] all Google owned-and-operated properties over time, he said.

The inferred categories are based onmachine-learning technology. The information can be verified by the user by going into the My Ad Center hub.

With all the work were doing in the Privacy Sandbox, it will not bepossible, because of all the removal of third-party cookies, for anything on google.com to affect settings across the web, he said. The controls on sites other than Google -- thecontrols will be in a given site or app from that publisher or app developer, or platform level, inside of Chrome or inside of Android like Privacy Sandbox -- choose your topics.

Thedata collected from My Ad Center will not become accessible to advertisers -- at least not at first -- but it will influence the brands targeting.

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Google To Give Users Control Of Ad Content They See Across Its Properties 05/12/2022 - MediaPost Communications

In overdose, cyproheptadine may cause central nervous system depression and sedation, as well as anticholinergic syndrome.

Apetamin is a syrup consisting of L-lysine, cyproheptadine, and B vitamins (thiamine, pyridoxine, nicotinamide, and dexpanthenol) that is produced by Indian pharmaceutical company TIL Healthcare Pvt Ltd.1 Cyproheptadine is available by prescription only in the United States,2 but Apetamin syrup is being sold illegally on social media platforms and other online sources as an unregulated weight-gain supplement.3 It has gained media attention in recent years, with social media influencers promoting it as a supplement for body enhancement, promising an hourglass figure that UK National Health Service (NHS) officials have described as unobtainable and biologically unsafe.3

The misuse of cyproheptadine as a figure enhancer is occurring on an international scale. A 2019 case report from India describes a man who gained 15 kg of weight during a 1-year period while taking a gym-tonic pill composed of cyproheptadine and dexamethasone that was illicitly prescribed by his gym instructor for weight-gain purposes.4 Another recent study, this one from the Democratic Republic of Congo, describes the C4 Phenomenon: In Kinshasa, cyproheptadine is sold as an appetite stimulant under the name C4 and promoted as a way to obtain a rounded physical appearance.5 More than two-thirds of the population surveyed reported using C4 over the past 6 months, with use found to be more common among women and those with lower educational levels.5 Almost half of users reported that it had been recommended to them by their friends, and more than 90% reported self-prescribing.5

NHS leaders in the United Kingdom have urged social media platforms such as Instagram to shut down accounts promoting or selling Apetamin, given significant concerns about its potential physical and mental health effects, particularly on young women and girls, to whom such content is predominantly targeted.3

Cyproheptadine: A Review

Cyproheptadine is a first-generation antihistamine with antiserotonergic, anticholinergic, and sedative properties.2 It has been in medical use since the 1960s and is approved by the FDA for the treatment of various allergic conditions.2,6 In the 2000s, it was studied for its orexigenic effects in undernourished children, with variable results.6 It has been used as an off-label treatment for a wide range of psychiatric conditions, including serotonin syndrome, akathisia, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitorinduced sexual dysfunction. It has also been investigated for possible use in the treatment of nightmares in posttraumatic stress disorder, insomnia secondary to stimulant use, behavioral control in autism spectrum disorders, and neuropsychiatric sequelae of efavirenz.7

Safety Concerns

A retrospective review of the French Pharmacovigilance Database by Bertrand et al examined all reported adverse effects of cyproheptadine since its first distribution in France in 1985 and concluded that it can be considered a safe drug.6 During this 35-year period, a total of 93 adverse effects (AEs) were reported, which were primarily neurological and hepatic in nature, with drowsiness representing the most common AE; hepatotoxicity was found to be uncommon.6

The suggested initial dosing for the treatment of FDA-indicated conditions compared with the manufacturers suggested daily dose of Apetamin is outlined in Table 1.1,2

Keep in mind, however, that individuals using illicitly obtained Apetamin as a weight-gain supplement may not adhere to these dosing recommendations. One case report from 2020 describes a woman who reported drinking Apetamin syrup directly from the bottleto maximize its reported figure-enhancing effects; after 6 weeks of daily use, she developed autoimmune hepatitis.8

Additionally, given that the illicit sale of Apetamin on social media is inherently unregulated, buyers cannot be certain that the product they are receiving is consistent with the formula reported by the manufacturer or that the product has not been adulterated with other substances. Consumption of unknown quantities of Apetamin presents the risk of unintentional cyproheptadine overdose. The maximum daily dose of cyproheptadine by age is outlined in Table 2.2

In overdose, cyproheptadine may cause central nervous system depression and sedation, as well as anticholinergic syndrome, with symptoms such as dry mouth, dilated pupils, and flushing.2 A 2011 review of the characteristics of intentional cyproheptadine overdoses indicated that approximately 40% of cases were asymptomatic, whereas 17% developed anticholinergic delirium presenting as acute psychosis.9 The average dose ingested was lower for asymptomatic patients than for patients who developed delirium, at 49.8 mg and 188 mg, respectively.9

In addition, the weight gain associated with Apetamin use also presents a risk of developing obesity, which is in itself a risk factor for a range of health conditions including hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and osteoarthritis.5

Clinical Considerations for Psychiatric Providers

Given that Apetamin misuse is occurring on a global scale, it is important for psychiatric providers worldwide to be aware of the risks this agent presents so that they are prepared to appropriately counsel patients. As influencers on social media platforms appear to be predominantly targeting young women and girls in their promotion of Apetamin, awareness is particularly important for providers treating children and adolescents.

Although the study from Kinshasa suggests that potential risk factors for use include female gender and lower educational levels,5 further research is needed into what other factors may place someone at greater risk for use. Providers may wish to consider screening patients with a known history of eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, or other body imagerelated concernsparticularly patients who are known to use social media platforms. Providers may also simply consider including Apetamin in their routine questioning of young women about medication and herbal supplement use.

In addition to the risks described, psychiatric providers should also keep in mind that for patients who are prescribed monoamine oxidase inhibitors, cyproheptadine has the potential to prolong anticholinergic effects.2

Dr Betterly is a resident physician in the Department of Psychiatry at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr Barghini is an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry and behavioral science and director of the Psychiatry Residency Program in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia.

References

1. Appetite stimulants. TIL Healthcare. Accessed January 27, 2022. https://tilhealthcare.com/appetite-stimulant/

2. Cyproheptadine. Package insert. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA; 2009.

3. Murdoch C, Powis S, Wallace K. Letter to Instagram from Claire Murdoch regarding the drug Apetamin. UK National Health Service. May 3, 2021. Accessed January 27, 2022. https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/letter-to-instagram-from-claire-murdoch-regard-the-drug-apetamin/

4. Bawaskar HS, Bawaskar PH, Bawaskar PH. Gym tonic and quadriparesis. J Assoc Physicians India. 2019;67(10):85-86.

5. Lulebo AM, Bavuidibo CD, Mafuta EM, et al. The misuse of cyproheptadine: a non-communicable disease risk behaviour in Kinshasa population, Democratic Republic of Congo. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2016;11:7.

6. Bertrand V, Massy N, Vegas N, et al. Safety of cyproheptadine, an orexigenic drug. analysis of the French National Pharmacovigilance Data-Base and systematic review.Front Pediatr. 2021;9:712413.

7. Badr B, Naguy A. Cyproheptadine: a psychopharmacological treasure trove? CNS Spectr. Published online February 26,2021.

8. Garland V, Kumar A, Theisen B, Borum ML. Apetamin hepatotoxicity: potential consequences of purchasing a body enhancement drug off the internet. ACG Case Rep J. 2020;7(6):e00398.

9. Chu FK. Review of the epidemiology and characteristics of intentional cyproheptadine overdose in Hong Kong. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2011;49(7):681-683.

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Under the Influence: Misuse of Apetamin, the Illicit Social Media Weight-Gain Drug - Psychiatric Times

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid had a painful night on Tuesday, as he hurt his back and re-aggravated his orbital fracture during a Game 5 loss to the Miami Heat in their second-round playoff series. To add insult to injury, Embiid was then asked by reporters about his reaction to reports that the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic will be named MVP.

Embiid said that he wasn't surprised about the news, and had been expecting the result ever since a straw poll by ESPN's Tim Bontemps towards the end of the regular season showed most voters were leaning towards Jokic. As a result, he was not particularly upset.

Still, Embiid shared some broader thoughts about the voting process and who gets a vote. It's worth going through the latter part of his response.

"Obviously, congrats to Nikola, he deserved it. He had an amazing season. There's no right or wrong. There was a lot of candidates. It could have gone either way. Giannis, Devin Booker being on the best team in the league by far, so I guess every year it's all about whatever you guys decided, whatever fits the narrative as far as who's going to win."

Embiid is correct in that there were a bunch of deserving candidates. It ended up turning into a two-man race between him and Jokic, but Giannis Antetokounmpo easily could have won his third trophy and you could easily make a case for Devin Booker as the best player on the best team.

And while it's never explicitly acknowledged, there is a narrative aspect to the award. Team success, players' career arcs and past results matter; it's not strictly a "best player in the league" designation. That's why LeBron James doesn't have 10 MVPs and no matter how great Jokic is next season he has zero chance of winning. Ironically, the narrative aspect is why Embiid is probably going to win it next season as long as he stays healthy.

"But to me, the only thing I'll say about these awards is that, until, I don't know how to explain it. I go back to what I heard on a podcast. Bill Simmons basically saying 'f--- Jalen Green.' If you're going to allow these type of people to vote on these awards, that's not fair. What if Jalen Green was in a position to earn a supermax, or I don't know, an All-Star appearance? You've got someone sounding like that and has a lot of power. He can sway a lot of other media members and you got someone saying that type of stuff, I don't think it's fair. I don't think it's OK."

This is only somewhat related to the actual MVP discussion and seems like a general shot at the media. It's also worth noting that this specific Simmons quip that keeps being referenced was a (perhaps ill-advised) joke that has been taken completely out of context. But Embiid's larger point about the problems with award voting having financial implications for players is widely shared.

"That's really the only thing I'll say about those awards. I'm not mad. The last two years in a row I've put myself in that position. It didn't happen. It's almost like at this point, it's whatever. Whatever happens, happens. Last year I campaigned about it, this year I answered questions when I was asked, and the next, you know, few years before I retire it's almost like I don't know what else I have to do to win it. To me it's just whatever. It's all about -- not that I wasn't focusing on the bigger picture but it's really time to really put all my energy into the bigger picture which is to win the whole thing."

Embiid wondering what he has to do to win MVP is certainly fair, as he was more than deserving this season. But in truth, he did what he was supposed to do and controlled what he could control. The only thing he did "wrong" was playing this well during the same season as two other historically great players.

The more interesting aspect of this quote is Embiid acknowledging how much he had been thinking about MVP. He may not have been upset about the actual result, but it's clear the whole process was weighing on him to some extent. Perhaps a weight will be lifted from his shoulders if he can stop worrying about it next season.

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76ers' Joel Embiid says he isn't mad about not being MVP, but doesn't know what he has to do to win it - CBS Sports

TargetCorporation (NYSE:TGT) today shared an update on the progress it has made toward its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) commitment to invest more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025. The retailer also is introducing the Roundel Media Fund, which will award more than $25 million in media to diverse-owned and founded brands through its in-house media company by 2025.

At Target, our commitment tosupporting Black-owned companies and advocating for racial equity touches every aspect of our business including investing in underrepresented entrepreneurs, launching Black-owned brands at Target, working with Black designers and suppliers and increasing visibilitythrough our marketing, said Christina Hennington, Target executive vice president and chief growth officer, and founding REACH committee member. While theres more to be done, our team has approached this critically important work with passion and conviction, and we are on track to meet the goals we established to advance racial equity through the full impact of our company. We will continue to ensure Black-owned businesses have a seat at the table so that all guests feelwelcomed and represented when they shop at Target and well bring transparency to the progress were making to create lasting change for retail and beyond.

Goals (by year-end 2025)

Progress Made

Total Investment

Invest more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses

In 2021, increased investments by more than 50% compared to 2020

Black-owned Brands

Add products from more than 500 Black-owned brands

Currently offer more than 100 Black-owned brands

Forward Founders

Launch program to support Black-owned and diverse business owners

Launched Forward Founders accelerator program and completed two classes, supporting more than 30 Black entrepreneurs with additional classes planned

Marketing Media Budget

Invest 5% of annual media budget with Black-owned media by the end of 2022

Invested four times more with Black-owned media partners and doubled the amount of Black-owned partners since 2020

Roundel Media Fund

Award more than $25 million in media to diverse-owned and founded brands

Introduced the Roundel Media Fund, which has already offered grants to more than 50 recipients

In 2021, Target pledged to invest $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by the end of 2025, including adding products across its multi-category assortment. Since then, the retailer has increased investments with Black-owned brands, companies and suppliers by more than 50% compared to 2020 and more than doubled Black-owned brand product offerings, with representation across every major product category.

Target now offers more than 100 Black-owned brands for guests to shop from beauty products, home goods, books and toys to apparel, accessories and food and beverage items. The companys industry-leading beauty assortment saw a 65% increase in Black-owned brand offerings since 2020, more than 200 books from Black authors were added over the last year, and its food and beverage assortment will include 50 Black-owned brands by the end of 2022.

Target has also expanded collaborations with Black designers within its owned brand work and engaged Black creators to launch an exclusive home collaboration with Justina Blakeney,Opalhouse designed with Jungalow,as well as limited-time-only collaborations with partnersChristian RobinsonandHilton Carter.

In addition to adding more Black-owned brands, Target pledged to engage more Black-owned companies to enhance its retail operations and shopping experience. In 2021, the retailer increased investments with Black-owned brands, companies and suppliers including marketing agencies, construction companies, facilities maintenance and more, by more than 50% compared to 2020. Notable examples include multi-million-dollar contracts with global technology service provider World Wide Technology and Taylor Brothers Construction, a vendor supporting the companys 2022 remodel program. Target also launched a new partnership with Bridgeforth Farms earlier this year to bring their sustainably grown cotton into the making of select products.

New today, Target is introducing a funding program from its in-house media company, Roundel, to increase exposure of diverse-owned brands through paid media. Designed to offset the cost of marketing programs at Target for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) brands, the Roundel Media Fund will award more than $25 million in media to diverse-owned and founded brands by the end of 2025. Interested BIPOC vendors can apply to the fund by completing this application.

Were proud to build on the work weve done to invest in the growth of BIPOC-owned businesses, showing up in ways that inspire and add value to the way our guests learn about our products and shop at Target, said Sarah Travis, president of Roundel, Target. The impact that the Roundel Media Funds $25 million investment can create is powerful. For example, we tested this opportunity during Black History Month and saw a 40% average sales lift for the more than 20 diverse-owned brands that participated. Ultimately, we strive to be a true partner to BIPOC businesses, and this involves a continued investment to help widen and deepen their capabilities so they can grow and prosper while continuing to connect with the audiences they serve.

Additionally, since pledging to spend 5% of its annual media budget with Black-owned media by the end of 2022, the company has since invested four times more with Black-owned media partners and doubled the amount of partners they are working with since 2020, including notable multiyear deals with REVOLT, ESSENCE and Black Love.

Target recognized the need to further support historically underrepresented founders and launched Forward Founders in 2021, an accelerator program designed to help Black-owned and diverse businesses increase their potential to be the next wave of wealth-building companies. This program was developed to engage diverse early-stage companies looking to better understand retail by helping them navigate critical stages, including ideation, product development and scaling for mass retail. Participating founders receive access to mentorship, workshops and curriculum to help promote their companies growth without requiring an equity stake and preserving ownership and control over their business.

Based on the high degree of interest, Target tripled the size of the inaugural class and created a free, virtual program so thousands of applicants could benefit from the programming. Since launching, Forward Founders has supported more than 30 Black entrepreneurs and a total of 60 diverse founders through two classes, with more planned for the future.

Jasmin Foster of Be Rooted, an inclusively designed stationery brand, was a part of the inaugural Forward Founders class. After completing the program, Be Rooted can now be found at Target. Forward Founders was an amazing experience and helped me further realize my long-term goals for Be Rooted and empower even more young girls and women of color through seeing themselves represented in the stationery category. As a solo founder, the early-stage support, mentorship and insight the program offered was invaluable in bringing my vision of Be Rooted to the next level, said Foster. Being the first Black-owned stationery brand available at Target is a huge accomplishment and I believe my example will open up the doors for so many otherBlack-owned brandsto do the same."

Statements in this release regarding Targets goals to advance racial equity, expected progress in meeting those goals, future investments and other activities supporting those goals, and the expected results of those investments, activities, and goals are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause Targets actions to differ materially. The most important risks and uncertainties are described in Item 1A of Targets Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Jan. 29, 2022. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Target does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at nearly 2,000 stores and atTarget.com, with the purpose of helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. Since 1946, Target has given 5% of its profit to communities, which today equals millions of dollars a week. Additional company information can be found by visiting thecorporate websiteandpress centerand by following@TargetNews.

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Target Provides Update on Commitment to Spend $2 Billion with Black-owned Businesses and Announces New Media Fund Initiative - Target Corporate