The Inquisitive ChatGPT: exploring news through questions
Mar 17-24: The Tiktok Ban, Trump's legal troubles, DeSantis vs Trump
Are you tired of coming across news articles that pique your interest but leave you feeling lost in a sea of narratives and unfamiliar people, organizations, and events? You want to understand the story, but the sheer amount of research required - from scouring Google to wading through Wikipedia - can be overwhelming. Before you know it, you've given up on the article entirely, frustrated and feeling like you're missing out on important information.
But what if there was a better way to approach the news?
For the past few weeks, I’ve been working nonstop on a new feature in Clarity: a self-updating FAQ for any news topic, fully powered by AI - so you could quickly get up to speed and be your own informant.
You can check it out yourself! Here’s what it looks like:
Here’s what Clarity AI does:
Organize recent articles by topic (e.g. US Tiktok Ban) across the spectrum
Reads those articles and is guided to generate the best questions for that topic
For each question, reads all of the recent articles on the topic to answer them as best as it can
I will publish AI-generated questions and answers for three topics. Every question is based on recent articles, and every answer is grounded by the contents of these articles. We toss out any answers that don’t have citations and the AI can’t answer.
The Tiktok Ban
Gist from the past 24 hours: TikTok CEO faced tough questions from US lawmakers over security concerns, ties to China, and the app's impact on teens, but denied sharing US data with China.
What are the main security concerns around TikTok?
Many lawmakers believe TikTok is spyware for the Chinese Communist Party, posing a national security risk.
A measure banning TikTok on some government devices was included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill President Joe Biden signed into law late last year.
TikTok collects a lot of data, including information about the videos you watch, comments you write, private messages you send, and your exact geolocation and contact lists.
A TikTok spokesperson said that a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access and that the U.S. had failed to provide any evidence that TikTok poses a threat to its national security.
Rep. Frank Pallone highlighted concerns about TikTok’s impact on children, including videos promoting suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman claimed that supporting bans on TikTok is "racist" and that TikTok poses the "same threat" to Americans as American-owned social media platforms, rejecting the claim that TikTok poses a national security risk.
Sources: 1. NBC News, 2. CNN, 3. The Blaze
What is the potential fate of TikTok in the US?
TikTok is facing scrutiny in the US over national security concerns.
A measure banning TikTok on some government devices was included in the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill President Joe Biden signed into law late last year.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Warner have introduced legislation that would create a process to assess the national security threats companies pose to the United States, which has the support of the Biden administration.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said TikTok should be “ended one way or another,” but noted “there are different ways of doing that.”
The US Treasury Department warned that it “will not clear any transaction unless it determines there are no unresolved national security concerns.”
There are alternatives to banning TikTok outright.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is more concerned about TikTok’s impact on young people’s mental health than the national security risk.
Sources: 1. NBC News, 2. Washington Post, 3. CNN
What was the outcome of the congressional hearing and how did TikTok CEO respond?
There is no clear outcome from the congressional hearing yet. TikTok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee to address security concerns surrounding the app. He stressed TikTok's independence from China and its US ties, but also acknowledged concerns about potential foreign access to US data and manipulation of the TikTok US ecosystem. Some Democrats, including Rep. Jamaal Bowman, have denounced a potential ban and called for a change in ownership instead. However, some Republicans, such as Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, have called for a ban. The politics surrounding the issue are complicated, with some Democrats and Republicans taking different positions.
Sources: 1. CNN, 2. NBC News, 3. Washington Post
See the answers to the following questions on Clarity:
What are the arguments for and against banning TikTok?
How are advertisers reacting to the potential TikTok ban?
What is the impact of TikTok on teens?
Trump's Legal Troubles
Gist from the past week: The legal case against Trump and his associates over hush money payments to Stormy Daniels is ongoing, with various developments such as document handovers, grand jury decisions, and Trump's own statements causing controversy and uncertainty.
What developments have occurred in the legal case recently?
A federal appeals court ruled that a lawyer representing former President Donald J. Trump in the investigation into his handling of classified material had to answer a grand jury’s questions and give prosecutors documents related to his legal work.
The ruling was a victory for the special counsel overseeing the investigation and followed Mr. Trump’s effort to stop the lawyer, M. Evan Corcoran, from handing over what are likely to be dozens of documents to investigators.
Prosecutors believe they have compelling evidence that Mr. Trump obstructed the government’s efforts to reclaim the sensitive records and may have even misled his own lawyers.
The US DC Circuit Court of Appeals is considering whether the former president can be held liable for his conduct in the lead-up to the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol in a civil lawsuit brought by US Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers.
Trump argued that even if presidential immunity does not cover conduct that incites violence, his speech at the rally that preceded the riot would still be protected because he “never instructed the crowd to engage in unlawful activity.”
Sources: 1. MSNBC, 2. New York Times, 3. CNN
What is the likelihood of Trump being indicted?
It is unclear whether or not Trump will be indicted, but law enforcement and security agencies are preparing for the possibility that he will be indicted as early as next week. The agencies involved include the NYPD, New York State Court Officers, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Furthermore, if he is indicted, ignoring the charge or charges will not be an option for Trump, and hiding in Florida in the hopes that the case will “blow over” will not be an effective strategy.
Sources: 1. MSNBC, 2. CNN, 3. NBC News
What is the reaction of Trump and his allies to the possibility of charges?
Trump and his allies are reacting strongly to the possibility of charges being brought against him.
Trump claimed over the weekend that he would be arrested in the coming days and called on his supporters to protest.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump has kept up a steady stream of attacks on Bragg in all-caps-heavy posts, calling him an “animal” and demanding his removal from office.
Republican lawmakers, including Jim Jordan, have demanded that New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg provide more information about the grand jury proceedings.
Bragg’s office said their request “treads into territory very clearly reserved to the states” — and noted that it had only come after Trump had “created a false expectation that he would be arrested … and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene.”
Sources: 1. Washington Post, 2. Washington Post, 3. CNN
See the answers to the following questions on Clarity:
How might a potential Trump indictment affect the country?
What is the legal case against Trump and his associates about?
DeSantis vs Trump
Gist: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is publicly criticizing former President Donald Trump and Manhattan prosecutors over the potential indictment of Trump, which has caused a rift between the two Republicans.
What is the background of Ron DeSantis and his political career?
Ron DeSantis is the current governor of Florida and is considered a prominent swing state governor.
He is rumored to be a potential presidential candidate in 2024.
DeSantis won the governorship in 2018 with the help of an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis has recently been the target of attacks from Trump, despite not yet announcing his candidacy for president.
In a recent interview with Piers Morgan, DeSantis discussed his potential run for president and his past relationship with Trump.
Sources: 1. Washington Examiner, 2. The Blaze, 3. New York Post
What is the basis of DeSantis' criticism towards Trump and Manhattan prosecutors?
DeSantis criticized the Manhattan district attorney who is pursuing charges against former President Trump.
DeSantis vowed his office would not be involved if the matter trickles into Trump’s adopted home state.
DeSantis stopped well short of offering support for the former president and instead seemed to poke fun at the situation Trump has found himself in as he attempts a political comeback and a third campaign for the White House.
DeSantis said that the probe into the former president was an example of the pursuit of a political agenda.
DeSantis attacked the Manhattan district attorney pursuing the case but also pointedly noted the personal conduct over which Mr. Trump is being investigated.
DeSantis called the case a “manufactured circus.”
Sources: 1. CNN, 2. Wall Street Journal, 3. New York Times, 4. Washington Examiner
What is the significance of DeSantis' criticism of Trump for the 2024 presidential race?
DeSantis' criticism of Trump's character in a recent interview with Piers Morgan is a subtle rebuke of the former president, but it may be too late and too weak, according to a GOP operative. The operative believes that these attacks are being perceived as cheap shots and kicking someone while they're down, which is not helping DeSantis. Trump's supporters are rallying around him, and the operative thinks that Trump will take out Ron DeSantis all by himself. DeSantis is a prominent swing state governor that many Republicans hope will run for president in 2024, but he is not expected to make a formal move until the summer. His stance has yielded sharper scrutiny from Trump and other potential rivals in the race.
Sources: 1. Washington Examiner, 2. Washington Examiner, 3. Washington Examiner
News Bites
International Rank #2, US Rank #10: Credit Suisse is being bought by UBS in a deal to stabilize the global financial sector, following a crisis that has rocked Swiss stability and led to a $54B bailout request.
International Rank #4, US Rank #3: The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia continues with heavy losses on both sides, while the US provides military aid and training to Ukraine, and the Pentagon faces challenges in supplying the war effort.
International and Global Rank #6: Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Russia to show support for Putin amid the Ukraine conflict, but both leaders avoided discussing the possibility of war, while the US denounced the meeting as a celebration of authoritarian power
That’s it for this week. To see a full rundown of the biggest stories of the week, along with a detailed analysis of how they are being covered by the various tribal factions, check out useclarity.com. And if you’re curious, here’s how it works.