(NEW YORK) — The backup of container ships off the coast of major ports of entry has greatly slowed the nation’s supply chain, prompting new possible workarounds ahead of the busy holiday retail season.
Many shipping companies and retailers have struggled recently with the massive backlog of goods and soon consumers could bear the brunt of higher prices.
The onslaught of manufacturing and cargo disruptions has threatened shipping delays and epic shortages for in-demand products and retail experts have urged consumers to start holiday shopping now.
“We’re witnessing a pandemic-induced buying surge by the American consumer, the likes of which we’ve never seen,” Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, told Good Morning America.
The downward spiral first started when COVID-19-induced shutdowns in Asia drove shipping and production delays. That created shortages in shipping containers and was compounded by limited warehouse space, trucking issues and labor shortages.
“There are shortages across a number of industries, perhaps nowhere more acutely so than in front-line workers such as port workers and truck drivers,” Aaron Terrazas, convy director of economic research, explained to GMA.
Now large retailers like Costco, Walmart and Home Depot have started to take matters into their own hands by renting out their own shipping containers and looking for different ports of entry.
More container freights that would typically enter through Long Beach are being redirected to Oakland, Vancouver, Savannah or Houston, in order to circumvent the delays.
While it could take upwards of a month to continue to untangle the global mess, port officials in Long Beach said they have extended operating hours, including working weekends.
And experts reiterated a now resounding message to start shopping the holiday season early.
(NEW YORK) — Whitney Houston will always be remembered as an extraordinary musician, actress and beauty icon.
MAC Cosmetics is honoring her life and legacy by launching a makeup collection that’s being created through a long-term collaboration with the Whitney Houston Estate.
The collection is slated to launch in 2022 and will support Houston’s upcoming biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” through makeup support, and recreating some of Whitney’s most iconic looks of all time.
“Whitney Houston is a true legend whose talent has and will continue to transcend decades,” said Aïda Moudachirou-Rebois, chief marketing officer, MAC Cosmetics, in a statement.
She continued, “Just like the depths of her vocal range, she was a true beauty and MAC lover who could seamlessly go from a natural ‘no makeup-makeup look’ to full glam and bold colors without missing a beat. We are honored to support Whitney’s upcoming biopic and to continue to help tell her beauty story in many moments to come.”
While this is the first time MAC Cosmetics is creating a makeup line inspired by Houston, the brand has launched other collections inspired by musical greats such as the late Mexican-American singer Selena as well as singer and actress Aaliyah who died in 2001.
Now, Houston will join the brand’s lineup of dedicated makeup collections honoring some of the most beloved beauty chameleons.
On behalf of The Whitney Houston Estate, her sister, Pat Houston, shared in a statement, “Whitney possessed once-in-a-lifetime inner and outer beauty. As the film begins production, it’s so gratifying to develop a brand partnership with MAC Cosmetics. MAC was Whitney’s favorite cosmetics line and I know they will honor her legacy and her beauty.”
(NEW YORK) — Millions of Americans have traded traditional work wardrobes for loungewear in the nearly two years of working remotely during the pandemic.
Now, as companies discuss return-to-office plans, many people are also rethinking what their post-pandemic workwear might look like. Will traditional “work vs. weekend” wardrobes become a thing of the past after the pandemic?
“The lines between work and weekend have been blurring for decades,” Deirdre Clemente, professor of fashion history at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, told “Good Morning America.” “This transition, [due to the pandemic] has certainly been faster since business casual became the standard for workplace attire in the early 2000s. So what we view as pandemic dress standards have actually been coming slowly for quite some time.”
“Dress standards change as American culture changes,” she added. “The pandemic has put many aspects of our lives into sharp focus.”
As the trend of casual workwear was accelerated by the pandemic, fashion retailers have also had to adapt to strike a balance between comfort and polished apparel.
Executives at men’s fashion brand Suitsupply, known for providing a wide array of trendy work-ready suiting as well as casual wear, noticed their customers have recently started to gravitate toward relaxed styles.
“There is a sort of hybrid composition to an outfit happening at the moment,” Suitsupply CEO & founder Fokke de Jong told “GMA.” “We’re seeing suits come back big time and people are using alternative layers underneath to dress them down — we call it ‘elevated casual.'”
“We’re meeting this movement with smart crossover pieces like knitted suits and dressy trousers with casual details like drawstring closures and elastic waistbands,” he said. Jong also points out items such as shirt-jackets working well for a more relaxed office setting, while cotton-cashmere sweatsuits and pure cashmere hoodies brings a more refined touch to leisurewear — making them ideal for a home office.
Alternatively, athleisure apparel brands, such as Lululemon, have found ways to fully lean into their current offerings based on increased customer demand.
Lululemon’s latest 11-market global study survey of male participants found a connection between comfort and confidence. Eight in 10 millennial men said perform better at work when they are dressed comfortably and close to nine in 10 would like their employer to loosen up dress code rules, according to their survey.
“The data provides a long-overdue recognition that professional workwear can and should be functional, versatile, and comfortable — and when it is all three, it can positively affect performance, confidence and more,” said Lululemon chief product officer Sun Choe in a statement.
“In many ways, both working from home and this ‘next normal’ of a hybrid work environment has amplified what Lululemon has been designing for all along — versatile, distraction-free garments that move with you through changing conditions and activities, making the wearer feel confident and looking sharp,” said Lululemon senior vice president, design, Ben Stubbington in a statement.
He continued, “The success and current strength of Lululemon’s iconic ABC Pant, as well as several other key styles, highlight how consumers are shopping for functional, versatile items that don’t sacrifice on style.”
While experts say it’s difficult to confirm the lasting power of the pandemic comfort trend, Clemente says that post-pandemic work wardrobes will be more versatile and individualized.
“Many things that mattered so much before have less meaning now, she said. “Our clothes will come to reflect these new social standards, that’s how fashion works.”
“Some people will choose a more formal attire, for a while at least,” Clemente added. “Others will just walk in as if they were still working out of their spare bedroom.”
“More than any other time in human history, we have a vast array of wardrobe choices.”
(NEW YORK) — Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month celebrates the rich culture, achievements and valuable contributions of Hispanic, Latino, Latina and Latinx Americans who have made waves and inspired others to achieve success in their community and beyond.
The Hispanic-Latinx community makes up an estimated 18.7% of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
To mark Hispanic Latinx Heritage Month, we are highlighting a few small businesses that are an integral part of the fabric of the U.S. and beyond.
Ceremonia Business: Hair care
Ceremonia is a clean hair care brand rooted in Latinx heritage. After growing up in Sweden, Babba Rivera, founder of Ceremonia, felt driven to bring change to the hair care community by starting a business that honored and represented her Chilean background. For years, she ignored her Latinx roots because she was not exposed to other entrepreneurs like her.
Rivera is the daughter of a hairdresser, which means beauty and hair care were always a priority for her family, with routine trips to relatives in Chile to keep up with the latest trends. Ceremonia focuses on hair wellness through the use of clean hair care.
“I have this stage of my life to thank for my fearless attitude today, because there is something very empowering about feeling like you know how to work your way up from nothing,” she said.
Rivera’s multifaceted career path prepared her to start Ceremonia during the middle of the coronavirus pandemic and contributed to her being a strong, proud Latinx business owner.
“With immigrant parents who did not speak the language and struggled to find a job, I often feel like I’ve gotten to where I am today against all odds. There’s something extremely humbling about the journey that has led me here and I feel incredibly proud and lucky to be where I am today,” Rivera said.
Rivera is not the only one who recognizes her achievements. Forbes awarded her with a spot on their prestigious “30 Under 30” list, which is the “definitive list of young people changing the world.” As Ceremonia gains traction, Rivera continues to reach higher in hopes that more Latinx entrepreneurs will develop businesses.
“My dream is for Ceremonia to continue to be at the forefront of this progress and inspire other brands to follow suit,” Rivera said.
Afrogirlie Business: Handbags
Founded by proud Afro-Latina Leanna Castillo, Afrogirlie is an online purse boutique heaven.
This trendy business’ mission is to help its clients exude excellence, no matter what they do. According to Castillo, one of the most important pillars for her business was to “create something that was attainable for all women, regardless of socioeconomic background. You can have an amazing high-quality bag, and it doesn’t need to break the bank.”
Castillo is a Honduran American with a passion for entrepreneurship. Castillo admitted, “Being Afro Latinx is a unique experience. Outwardly the world looks at you and makes assumptions about you. This inspired me to create my business doing what I love most, which is fashion.”
As Castillo feeds her passion, her hope is to pay tribute to Black and Afro Latinas who were trailblazers in modern fashion. Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to “be patient.”
“It takes time to nurture a business, it’s truly like a baby, and it will need love and attention,” she said. “To my fellow Afro-Latinx entrepreneurs, we have such a unique experience and we must exploit that [in a good way]. Be your unapologetic authentic self.”
Old Salt Merchants Business: Spices, teas and other kitchen essentials
Old Salt Merchants is a Latinx owned and operated provisions company born in the Victorian Seaport of Port Townsend, Washington. The company’s mission is to “ignite and expand our customers’ palates by sourcing a high-quality selection of gourmet products that are bold and irresistibly unique.”
“As far back as I can remember, I used to rummage through my mom’s spice cabinet and couldn’t help but focus on the unique smell all of the different spices had,” said Monique Rodriguez, the founder and CEO of Old Salt Merchants.
She continued, “The earthy and slightly pungent smell of cumin, for example, still reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen.”
This is where the founder’s love for spices was born. “Our brand is influenced by my Mexican heritage and the importance of not only celebrating but acknowledging all the different cultures through food,” she said.
As a Hispanic woman-owned and operated company, Old Salt Merchants wants to create awareness around the contributions made by the Latinx community, but especially those made by women. Rodriguez attributed her success to perseverance during the pandemic and generous partnerships.
Rodriguez’s advice to other entrepreneurs is to find mentors and role models who can serve as sources of inspiration as you pursue your dreams.
“That type of like-minded network can help you in so many ways, but you have to be a little gritty, able to overcome obstacles and bounce back when things don’t go your way,” Rodriguez said. “Don’t be afraid to make that left turn when everyone else is making a right. That’s what will set you apart from the rest!”
Dauntless Clothing Business: Clothing line
Paula Maldonado, a young Colombian American pioneer, founded Dauntless in 2017. She has always been an avid supporter of environmental and social causes and an advocate for innovative design principles. Maldonado’s belief that the fashion industry “lacked responsibility around fair trade standards, sourcing of materials or climate impact” set her on her mission to create an apparel brand dedicated to change, sustainability and honesty.
These tenets were not the only thing driving Maldonado’s mission. The founder added that she also wanted Dauntless to be employed solely by women and focused on supporting women’s empowerment and equal pay.
“I decided that my mission would be to bring conscious apparel to fashion-forward consumers and change their perception of what sustainable fashion looked like and what it meant,” she said.
Dauntless’ success can be traced back to hard work by a 100% women-run business.
Most recently, Dauntless was chosen for the all-in-one shopping app Klarna’s Small Business Impact Initiative, which gained more visibility and support as a valued brand in the industry. Castillo noted, “The Klarna Small Business Impact Initiative also awarded our team funding towards media exposure in an effort to help us recover from the pandemic.”
When asked about leading by example and paving the way for younger Latinx entrepreneurs, she said, “Success has no gender or race. Remove that stigma from your beliefs and your brain. Believe in what you are doing and look around for opportunities that can help you grow your business. You will be surprised by the number of people and companies that believe in women entrepreneurs and women in business. Don’t doubt yourself!”
(NEW YORK) — On the latest episode of the “Behind The Table” podcast, former co-host of “The View” Lisa Ling and current co-host Sara Haines spoke candidly about their biggest regrets while co-hosting the show and how they learned to speak openly at the Hot Topics table.
Haines was a co-host of “The View” from 2016 to 2018, for seasons 20 and 21. She left to co-host ABC News’ “GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke,” and returned to “The View” panel again in 2020, for season 24.
On the podcast, Haines said she is a “huge fan” of Ling and always admired her time on the Emmy award-winning daytime talk show and as a “hardcore” journalist.
Ling’s career began at age 21, when she covered the civil war in Afghanistan as a correspondent on Channel One News. In 1999, at 26, she became a co-host of “The View” and got to work alongside show creator Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Meredith Vieira and Star Jones. She was one of the youngest co-hosts on the show.
In December of 2002, Ling decided to leave the show to further pursue her journalism career as a correspondent for National Geographic’s Explorer. She went on to become an award-winning journalist reporting hard-hitting stories from numerous countries.
“What you do is emotional at times, but you just are so immersive and the stories you tell are so powerful,” Haines said of Ling’s impressive journalism career.
Ling sat at the Hot Topics table for three years before becoming a field correspondent at “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and pursuing her journalism career.
Though Ling called “The View” a “tangent” in her career, she said being on that table is how she found her voice, and her time there was “instrumental in helping me to get to where I am today.”
But that’s not to say she hasn’t had to grapple with some regretful remarks she made on the show.
One evening in December 2001, Ling bumped into Monica Lewinsky, who had a relationship with former President Bill Clinton during her time as a White House intern working in the office of the chief of staff, Leon Panetta. The two spoke about Lewinsky’s college tour, and Ling said that she told her about how disappointed she was that the questions being asked of her weren’t more intellectual.
On Dec. 19, 2001, one of “The View” co-hosts asked Ling about her night. She told viewers about her conversation with Lewinsky and commented that she doesn’t know what’s intellectual about being on your knees.
“My heart sunk,” Ling told Haines. “It was so not me to say something like that about someone who had kind of confided in me about something personal that she had experienced.”
“I felt deflated and sad and hurt,” she continued. “It was, it was a horrible, horrible moment where I sacrificed my own character right for that laugh.”
Ling said that soon after her comment, she “profusely apologized” to Lewinsky and years later had the opportunity to interact with her even more. While she said Lewinsky was “gracious and forgiving,” she also “wasn’t afraid” to tell her how hurt she was by Ling’s comment.
Haines related to Ling’s story and looked back on comments she made about Taylor Swift after her “Reputation” album was released in 2017.
After she watched Swift’s “Miss Americana” documentary, Haines said she “recognized” that she was a part of “a media problem” with Swift and was upset by the realization.
“I had made jokes before about how many boyfriends she’d had or writing a song about them,” Haines said. “They actually were all innocently motivated. I wasn’t going for a laugh.”
Now, Haines said she realized she was a part of the conversations that hurt Swift.
“I private messaged her on Instagram and kind of communicated what I had done, what I saw in the documentary and that I hoped I was a part of the stronger narrative from that point on in defending what someone might feel like in those moments.” Haines said it was “no surprise” that she didn’t hear back from Swift, but she “needed to let her know that I was sorry.”
Prior to making regrettable comments on “The View,” Ling told Haines that she had to overcome the Asian etiquettes she learned growing up.
Ling said she “was taught that you have to be respectful of your elders,” but one thing that’s “imperative on ‘The View’ is you have to fight for space. You have to fight for time. You have to fight to get a word in edgewise.”
Sitting alongside Walters, Behar, Vieira and Jones,” Ling felt it was “mortifying” to speak up “because culturally, I would always wait until they said their piece and then I would offer my thoughts or my insights.”
While Ling said it felt like a “fight every day just to express an opinion,” she wouldn’t be able to do what she can now had it not been fro those three years at “The View.”
In the third episode of “Behind The Table,” Ling and Haines discuss the challenges they faced on the show, fond memories of Barbara Walters. Ling also looks back on her decision to leave “The View” and Haines reflects on her early days guest co-hosting the show and her decision to come back on the panel after leaving in 2018.
“‘The View’ has become a real force. It’s an important outlet and it’s smart. It can be irreverent. It can be silly. It can be funny,” Ling told Haines on the podcast. “It is comprised of smart women expressing their feelings and their opinions about things that are happening in this country and in the world.”
(NEW YORK) — HomeGoods introduced a new shopping platform today to pick up your favorite candles, throw blankets and kitchen goods from the comfort of your home.
HomeGoods.com, the highly anticipated online store from the retailer, is a new destination for shoppers to discover a wide assortment of top brands and décor ideas. Of course, the new venture comes just in time for the holiday season.
Just like the retail store, there will be a wide variety of products to shop from, including bedding, seasonal décor, pet products, storage and organization with an ever-changing selection of brand-name and designer home goods at prices generally discounted below department and specialty store prices.
“We are thrilled to bring a second way for our passionate shoppers to discover and shop an assortment they know and love,” John Ricciuti, president of HomeGoods, said in a statement. “We hope our customers find the same excitement shopping HomeGoods online as they do exploring the aisles of our stores.”
In addition, HomeGoods will make its return process easy. Shoppers can return items at any one of the more than 820 HomeGoods locations across the U.S. or return by mail.
The store plans to continue to expand its online merchandise after the initial launch.
(NEW YORK) — Former Theranos board member and former Secretary of Defense James “Mad Dog” Mattis testified last week in the criminal trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes.
“I was taken with the idea that with one drop of blood and with remote capability, you could basically test for a broad array of problems,” Mattis told jurors from the witness stand during his initial examination from prosecutors.
When asked who was in charge in board meetings — Holmes or her former romantic partner and Theranos Chief Operating Officer Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani — Mattis did not hesitate when he said: “Ms. Holmes.”
And when asked where he got his information regarding Theronos blood testing devices, he also named Holmes. “I had no other source of information on it,” he told the court.
Holmes founded Theranos in 2003 and claimed the company was developing blood testing technology that could perform hundreds of blood tests using only a few drops of blood. Holmes and Balwani face a dozen charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with what prosecutors call a multi-million dollar scheme to defraud investors and patients.
Both have pleaded not guilty. Balwani’s trial is slated to begin next year.
Along with Mattis, last week jurors heard from a digital forensic expert, Theranos’ former lab director, and the first Theranos patient to take the stand.
Mattis joined Theranos in 2013 and departed in 2016, prior to joining the Trump administration as the secretary of defense.
Mattis told jurors that when he joined the board in 2013 U.S. military casualties had not relented. “I was interested in anything that would improve the care of casualties,” he added.
Mattis recalled meeting Holmes in either 2011 or 2012, at an event in San Francisco where he was giving a speech. Holmes allegedly pricked his finger to give him “an idea of what the machine blood draw was,” he stated in court.
Mattis told the court that he became instantly impressed with Holmes’ description of Theranos’ testing capabilities, thinking the company’s devices could have game-changing benefits on the battlefield.
In 2013, he pushed for Theranos devices to join a “pilot project” where they’d be compared to devices already used on large U.S. Naval vessels, according to email exchanges between Mattis and Holmes displayed in court.
“We could do a side-by-side comparison,” Mattis recalled in the courtroom. The plan was to put Theranos devices up against the already-approved devices on those vessels to determine if the devices were “faster” or “more accurate.”
Mattis told jurors he invested $85,000 in the startup. His salary on the board was approximately $150,000, according to Theranos financial documents.
Theranos devices, however, never ended up in Mattis’ “pilot project” or in any sort of military arena. He testified that at a certain point, following growing scrutiny of the company’s testing capabilities, “I didn’t know what to believe about Theranos anymore.”
Since leaving the company’s board to join the Trump administration, Mattis has voiced regrets over his involvement with Holmes’ failed company. “The bottom line is we all make mistakes at times,” he told PBS in 2019.
Mattis may be the first of several notable names to testify in Holmes’ trial. Others who may be called as witnesses include former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, billionaire media tycoon Rupert Murdoch and prominent attorney David Boies. Murdoch was a Theranos investor, and Boies at one point sat on Theranos’ board and his firm served as the company’s outside counsel for several years.
Another key witness from last week, Brittany Gould, was the first Theranos patient to take the stand. She told the court that the company’s blood test inaccurately showed she was suffering a miscarriage when in fact she had a healthy pregnancy.
Gould, who had already miscarried three times, testified that in September 2014 she took a Theranos blood test at a Walgreens store in Arizona after learning that she was pregnant.
Additional non-Theranos tests confirmed the initial results were inaccurate, and she went on to have a healthy baby girl.
Holmes’ lawyers elected not to cross examine Gould.
Holmes and her counsel did not respond to ABC News’ repeated requests for comment.
(NEW YORK) — Halima Aden made waves in the fashion industry when she became the first hijab-wearing supermodel, gracing the covers of top fashion magazines like Vogue.
She also became the first hijabi woman to model for Sports Illustrated and hit the runway for some of the world’s top designers — from New York Fashion Week to Milan.
But last year, while she was on top of the game, the Somali-American model quit the fashion industry because she felt that she had lost control of her identity in an industry that was incompatible with her religious beliefs.
But now, the 23-year-old is diving back into the fashion world — this time, on her own terms by being intentional about the spaces she is a part of and staying true to herself.
Aden announced this month her new role as global brand ambassador for Modanisa — a modest fashion retailer.
“It feels amazing to be back in fashion. I love fashion. I just didn’t love mainstream fashion and the tokenistic way that they’ve treated me. But there’s ways to do both, there’s ways to still be part of the fashion world while still remaining true to who you are,” she said.
“I think Muslim women now more than ever, we are reclaiming our time, we are reclaiming our identities. We’re wearing our hijabs very proudly, and it’s incredible to be in spaces and to represent Muslim woman,” she added.
Aden was born in a refugee camp in Kenya but when she was 6 years old, her family moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota. She gained national attention when she became the first hijabi woman to compete in the Miss Minnesota pageant. During the 2016 competition she wore a burkini by Modanisa and was a semifinalist.
A year later, Aden signed a three-year modeling contract where she was promised a private changing area during shoots and shows. Her contract also outlined that her hijab was non-negotiable.
But according to the model, some stylists had other plans and some tried to downplay her hijab or replace it with other clothing items to change her look.
“The last two years, I trusted the team on set to do my hijab and that’s when I ran into problems,” she said in a BBC interview after announcing that she’s quitting. “like jeans being placed on my head in place of a regular scarf. The way they styled it, I was so far removed from my own image. My hijab kept shrinking and got smaller and smaller with each shoot.”
At the time, she said that her mother, who she is very close to, also wasn’t a big fan of her being in an industry so focused on looks and they had conversations about her faith, her identity and and her responsibility as a role model for Muslim women.
“It’s not easy being a minority within a minority within a minority. And being a Black Muslim, Somali American, former refugee, I have so many identities that make up who I am,” she said.
‘Hands off my hijab’: French Muslims rail against ban on religious garb in soccer
Amid an ongoing “internal conflict,” Aden found herself in situations where she had to compromise her beliefs in the name of fashion. But when her younger cousin expressed an interest in pursuing fashion and asked her for guidance, Aden realized that she couldn’t compromise anymore.
“I remember panicking, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, no, no, no.’ … I didn’t want her to be in this space because I realized it’s not a safe industry for a young hijabi woman,” Aden said.
“When I said no to her, I had to look in the mirror and ask myself, ‘Why am I in an industry that isn’t safe enough for my little cousin?'” she added. “… I had to then [come] to the conclusion that I must step away, because I didn’t want to be a hypocrite.”
When she announced that she was leaving the fashion industry, Aden shared a photo of her shoot with Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, writing, “(Rihanna) let me wear the hijab I brought to set. This is the girl I’m returning to, the real Halima.”
And although her mother is part of the reason she quit, she is also the reason she has now returned to fashion.
“She was the first to pick me back up and say, ‘No, you’re not going to quit, you’re going to dust yourself off and you’re going to come back bigger and better than ever,'” Aden said. “[Now] I’m using my platform the right way, and she’s my biggest fan and supporter.”
Muslim Americans confront legacy of 9/11 Islamophobia: ‘Unspoken tragedy’
Over the past year, Aden has been using her platform to speak up and share her story and by partnering with brands that are in line with her beliefs. She hopes to continue being a positive role model for women by encouraging them to remain true to themselves.
Asked what advice she would share with women who want to work in the fashion world, Aden said, “Own your identity, be proud of where you come from … have clear boundaries, and when those boundaries are being messed with, speak up.”
-ABC News’ Nidhi Singh contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Facebook announced Monday that it was pausing development of its controversial “Instagram Kids” platform meant for children under the age of 13.
“While we stand by the need to develop this experience, we’ve decided to pause this project,” Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said in company blog post Monday. “This will give us time to work with parents, experts, policymakers and regulators, to listen to their concerns, and to demonstrate the value and importance of this project for younger teens online today.”
“Critics of ‘Instagram Kids’ will see this as an acknowledgement that the project is a bad idea,” Mosseri added. “That’s not the case. The reality is that kids are already online, and we believe that developing age-appropriate experiences designed specifically for them is far better for parents than where we are today.”
He noted how YouTube and TikTok have already created versions of their apps for those under 13. Instagram’s goal was to allow parents to supervise and control their tweens’ experience on a version built for users ages 10 to 12, he said.
“We firmly believe that it’s better for parents to have the option to give their children access to a version of Instagram that is designed for them — where parents can supervise and control their experience — than relying on an app’s ability to verify the age of kids who are too young to have an ID,” Mosseri wrote.
While Instagram Kids has been paused, Mosseri said the company will continue to build opt-in parental supervision tools for teens and expects to have more to share on this in the coming months.
The “Instagram Kids” proposal has faced pushback for months. In May, a bipartisan coalition of 44 state and territory attorneys general sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg urging the company to abandon the project, citing the potential for harm to children.
Lawmakers also pressed Zuckerberg over the project during a March hearing, when he argued that there is “a large number of people under the age of 13 who would want to use a service like Instagram” and that it could provide “broadly positive” benefits such as helping young people stay connected with friends and learn about content online.
Monday’s announcement also comes in the wake of a Wall Street Journal investigation that alleged Facebook’s own internal research found Instagram harmful for young users, especially teenage girls. Facebook and Instagram have argued the reporting mischaracterizes what they are trying to do and that research also shows positive benefits.
“Recent reporting from the WSJ on our research into teen’s experiences on Instagram has raised a lot of questions for people,” Mosseri wrote Monday. “To be clear, I don’t agree with how the Journal has reported on our research.”
“We do research like this so we can make Instagram better,” he added. “That means our insights often shed light on problems, but they inspire new ideas and changes to Instagram.”
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle did not seem appeased by Facebook’s announcement.
“Pausing Instagram kids is not enough,” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colorado, wrote on Twitter Monday. “They need to abolish the program completely.”
Another vocal critic of the project, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said on Twitter, “Facebook is heeding our calls to stop plowing ahead with plans to launch a version of Instagram for kids. But a ‘pause’ is insufficient.”
“Facebook must completely abandon this project,” Markey added
(NEW YORK) — If you’re concerned about travel plans changing during the holidays, experts say it’s important to take stock of any vouchers you may be sitting on and utilize the lack of change fees.
1. Take Advantage of No Change Fees
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, major U.S. airlines have done away with change fees, allowing travelers to be more flexible with their plans and giving them the option to switch travel dates and flights.
Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, said it’s crucial to take advantage of this policy when booking holiday trips.
“During the pandemic, the airlines got rid of those change fees for most flights, so now when you book a flight, as long as it’s not in Basic Economy, you automatically have flexibility so that you can change your flight later on without having to pay any penalty to do so,” Keyes said in an interview with ABC News. “If the new flights you switch to are more expensive, you do have to cover that fare difference, but if the new dates are cheaper, you’ll actually get the difference back in the form of a travel credit.”
While carriers are being more accommodating, Keyes said it’s important to not think of this policy as “free cash.”
“What folks have now when they travel is that they have the flexibility to be able to change their travel dates or get a voucher from the airline for future travel, but again not conflating that with getting a cash refund.”
However, if you want to be certain that you will get your money back, be sure to book a “refundable” fare.
“To be able to get your money back for a flight that you no longer want to take, you had to have booked a much more expensive refundable ticket,” Keyes said. “Those are the only ones that allow you to fully get your money back if you decide later to cancel.”
2. Check to see if you have any vouchers, and if they’re still valid
If you didn’t book that refundable fare, you’re next best bet is contacting your airline and obtaining a travel voucher — this will allow you to use that money with the airline and rebook at a later date.
However, those vouchers don’t last forever, Keyes said.
“Vouchers in general have a use it or lose it component,” Keyes said. “You want to find out what the expiration date is so it doesn’t accidentally expire without your even realizing it.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, airlines began offering customers travel vouchers for trips already booked. Policies vary from carrier to carrier, so it’s important to read the fine print.
“You want to find out what is the expiration date refer to — does this refer to the date I have to travel by or just the date I have to book my flight by,” Keyes said.
If your voucher has expired, Keyes said not to lose hope.
“Give the airline a call and see if they’re willing to extend the deadline,” Keyes said. “The number of people traveling is still down significantly from where it was pre-pandemic and airlines are trying to engender not only goodwill among travelers, but also trying to make sure that folks fill up those planes.”
“It never hurts to ask.”
3. Treat it like a game of chicken
If your trip is already booked but you think you might have to make changes, Keyes said it might be worth waiting until the last minute to cancel or tweak your trip.
“My best piece of advice in that scenario is to treat it like a game of chicken,” Keyes said. “It’s either you cancel the flight, and you’re going to get a travel voucher from the airline, or maybe they cancel the flight, in which case you would be entitled to a cash refund — so it’s whoever blinks first.”
Last year, the Department of Transportation (DOT) cracked down on airlines, pushing them to be more transparent with their refund policies if a flight is cancelled or significantly delayed by the carrier.
The move came amid thousands of complaints from customers, many of which concerned refunds. At the time, DOT asked airlines, “to revisit their customer service policies and ensure they are as flexible and considerate as possible to the needs of passengers who face financial hardship during this time.”
“The one loophole here, which I think is really important for folks to know, is if the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight, under federal law you are entitled to a full cash refund if you want one,” Keyes said.
